Malcolm Rivera
Tsar Nicholas II was a committed autocrat who believed himself to be fulfilling his role as god's man on earth. However, the 1905 Russian Revolution forced him to institute extensive reforms, including the Fundamental Laws of 1906, which functioned as a constitution, and the creation of the Duma, an elected legislature. While this marked the end of unlimited autocracy in Russia and ushered in an era of constitutional monarchy, Nicholas II did his best to maintain as much personal power as possible.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Nicholas II's view of his role | As a religious man, Nicholas II believed himself to be carrying out the principles of autocracy as per his role as "god's man on earth" |
| Nicholas II's view of reforms | Nicholas II largely saw most reforms (at least those relating to democracy) as a bad thing and ill-suited for the Russian people |
| Nicholas II's view of constitutional monarchy | Nicholas II rejected any ideas of constitutional monarchy in Russia until after the 1905 Revolution |
| Outcome of the 1905 Revolution | The Tsar became a constitutional monarch, his power checked by an elected Duma |
| Royal backdoor in the constitution | The Tsar was given the ability to dissolve the Duma at will |
| Result of the 1905 Revolution | The Russian government transformed from an autocracy into a constitutional monarchy |
| The October Manifesto | Issued by Nicholas II, it promised to guarantee civil liberties (e.g., freedom of speech, press, and assembly), to establish a broad franchise, and to create a legislative body (the Duma) whose members would be popularly elected and whose approval would be necessary before the enactment of any legislation |
| The Fundamental Laws (1906) | Functioned as a constitution and the creation of the Duma, which fostered the development of legal political activity and parties |
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What You'll Learn
Nicholas II was a committed autocrat
The Russian Revolution of 1905 was a significant event that influenced Tsar Nicholas II to attempt to transform the Russian government from an autocracy to a constitutional monarchy. Diverse social groups expressed their dissatisfaction with the Russian political and social system through protests, strikes, student riots, and terrorist assassinations. These events pressured Nicholas II to issue the October Manifesto, which promised a constitution and the establishment of an elected legislature, known as the Duma.
However, Nicholas II was a committed autocrat at heart. As the latest in a 300-year-old dynasty of absolute monarchs, he believed in the principles of autocracy and saw himself as "God's man on earth." He considered his role to be an executive version of the Pope, with a holy and paternal responsibility for the Russian Empire. Both Nicholas II and his father, Alexander III, viewed reforms and democracy as detrimental to the Russian people.
Despite issuing the October Manifesto and creating the Duma, Nicholas II worked to maintain as much personal power as possible. He included a "'backdoor'" in the constitution, reserving the right to dissolve the Duma at will. This allowed him to gradually roll back the reforms he had granted. Even after the adoption of the constitution in 1906, Nicholas II remained reluctant to embrace a true constitutional monarchy and sought to retain control.
The concept of absolutism was deeply ingrained in Russia, and even the 1906 constitution described the monarch as an autocrat. Nicholas II's actions reflected his commitment to autocracy, as he prioritized maintaining power over fully embracing constitutional reforms. His resistance to sharing power and his attempts to preserve the autocratic nature of his rule characterized him as a committed autocrat, even in the face of revolutionary pressures.
Overall, while Nicholas II made concessions towards constitutional monarchy, his ideological commitment to autocracy remained strong. He navigated a delicate balance between maintaining his power and appeasing the demands for reform, demonstrating his unwavering dedication to autocratic principles.
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The 1905 Revolution forced Nicholas II's hand
The magnitude of the strike finally convinced Nicholas to act. On the advice of Sergey Yulyevich Witte, he issued the October Manifesto (17 October 1905), which promised a constitution and the establishment of an elected legislature (Duma). He also made Witte president of the new Council of Ministers (i.e. prime minister). These concessions did not meet the radical opposition's demands for an assembly or a republic. The revolutionaries refused to yield; even the liberals declined to participate in Witte's government. But some moderates were satisfied, and many workers, interpreting the October Manifesto as a victory, returned to their jobs.
The 1905 Revolution sprang from the discontent of urban workers over a deteriorating economy, poor working conditions, and the Russo-Japanese War. The Russian economy was tied to European finances, so the contraction of Western money markets in 1899-1900 plunged Russian industry into a deep and prolonged crisis. This setback aggravated social unrest during the five years preceding the Revolution of 1905. Diverse social groups demonstrated their discontent with the Russian social and political system. Their protests ranged from liberal rhetoric to strikes and included student riots and terrorist assassinations.
Nicholas II initially opted to crush the rebellion with the might of the empire. However, his mind changed when the man he called in to suppress the rebellion, his soldier uncle, threatened to shoot himself on the spot with his pistol unless Nicholas granted a constitution. Faced with that upsetting prospect, Nicholas reluctantly ordered the reforms, including the Duma, which would check his power. In response to the royal announcement, with the angry mobs appeased, the 1905 revolution subsided. In theory, the Tsar was now a constitutional monarch, his power checked by an elected Duma. However, there was a royal backdoor built into the constitution, which brought the Duma into law: the ability of the Tsar to dissolve the Duma at will. Now, with the population pacified and appeased, Nicholas II saw a path back to power through continued minimisation and a rollback of his reluctantly granted reforms.
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The October Manifesto
Nicholas II, a committed autocrat and the latest in a 300-year-old dynasty of absolute monarchs, initially resisted calls for a constitution. However, he eventually gave in after his first choice to lead a military dictatorship, Grand Duke Nicholas, threatened to kill himself if the Tsar did not accept the suggestion of his advisor, Sergey Yulyevich Witte (or Sergei Witte).
However, the Duma was flawed from its inception. The Tsar maintained significant power over it, including the ability to dissolve it at will, and the body was also influenced by the Russian bureaucracy. Within months, the autocracy gradually reaffirmed its power, and by 1906-1907, much of Russia was under martial law. The civil rights and suffrage rights granted by the Fundamental Laws, which served as the constitution, were also more limited than what was initially promised in the Manifesto.
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The Duma
The word "Duma" is derived from the Russian word "дума", which is inherited from the Proto-Slavic word "duma", of disputed origin. The term boyar duma is used to refer to advisory councils in Russia from the 10th to 17th centuries. Starting in the 18th century, city dumas were formed across Russia.
The first formally constituted state duma was the Imperial State Duma, introduced to the Russian Empire by Emperor Nicholas II in 1905. The creation of the Duma was a result of the 1905 Revolution, which forced the imperial regime to institute extensive reforms. The Duma was established as a representative assembly, with legislative and oversight powers, and its approval was necessary for the enactment of legislation. It constituted the lower house of the Russian parliament, with the State Council as the upper house.
However, Nicholas II was determined to retain his autocratic power. Before the first meeting of the Duma, the Tsar issued the Fundamental Laws, which denied the Duma control over state ministers and portions of the state budget, and limited its ability to initiate legislation. The Tsar also had the power to dismiss the Duma and announce new elections whenever he wished. The first two Dumas were quickly dissolved by the Tsar, and the third Duma was the only one to last until the end of its five-year term.
In modern times, the State Duma has continued to play a significant role in Russian politics. In the early 2000s, the pro-presidential Unity party and the Communist Party dominated the State Duma. After the 2003 elections, a dominant-party system was established, with the pro-presidential United Russia party consistently receiving an absolute majority of seats. During the presidency of Vladimir Putin, the State Duma became increasingly referred to as a rubber stamp, with a shift towards electoral authoritarianism.
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The Fundamental Laws (1906)
The Fundamental Laws of 1906 were a 124-point de facto constitution issued by Nicholas II in April 1906. The laws were a revision of the 203-article compilation of existing laws on supreme rule, which were first published in the Set of Laws of the Russian Empire in 1832 and had remained unchanged since 1892. The revision was necessary to implement the principles set forth in the October Manifesto of 1905, which was issued by Nicholas II in response to the 1905 Revolution.
The Fundamental Laws of 1906 transformed Russia into a constitutional monarchy. While the laws codified certain individual rights, such as freedom of religion and the sanctity of private property, they also undermined promises for political reform made in the October Manifesto. For example, while the Manifesto promised the establishment of an elected legislature (the Duma), the Laws established that the Duma did not have the right to change the Fundamental Laws, and that the Tsar could dissolve the Duma at will.
The Laws also strengthened the tsar's prerogatives. While the earlier version of the Fundamental Laws stated that "The Russian emperor is an autocratic monarch with unlimited power," the new version granted the tsar supreme autocratic power, removing the term "unlimited" and defining "autocratic" as declaring the independence of the country and the monarch. The Laws proclaimed the unity and indivisibility of the Russian Empire, asserting that Finland was an "inseparable part" of Russia, and declared Russian as the official language of the empire, with its use required in the army, navy, and all state and civil institutions.
The Laws also established the State Duma as consisting of members elected by the population of the Russian Empire for a five-year term. The State Council and the State Duma were authorised to initiate legislative proposals, but these proposals required the approval of the Sovereign Emperor to become law. The Sovereign Emperor also had the power to ratify laws and to direct the Russian government's foreign policy.
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Frequently asked questions
Yes, Tsar Nicholas II instituted a constitutional monarchy in 1905 following the Russian Revolution.
Nicholas II was committed to the principles of autocracy and believed himself to be carrying out the principles of autocracy as per his role as 'god's man on earth'. He believed that he had a holy, paternal responsibility to the Russian empire.
The 1905 Russian Revolution forced the imperial regime to institute extensive reforms, including the Fundamental Laws (1906), which functioned as a constitution, and the creation of the Duma, which fostered the development of legal political activity and parties.
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