Modernization was needed, first of all because Russia was almost entirely agricultural while surrounding nations were industrializing. Furthermore, it was agricultural and using outdated farming equipment. Also, the Tsar and the rest of Russia's leaders wanted it to be a powerful nation and have an important role in Europe. In order to be powerful, industrialization was required. They needed industry to manufacture things, and in order to be an important military power it needed to manufacture military supplies/equipment. Also, agriculture didn't make it enough money. Russia was very poor, and it needed modernization in order to increase its profit and income. Not only did they only have agriculture, their methods of agriculture were obsolete and its harvest was poor. Russia needed industrialization to make money and increase its power.
2. Why was modernization dangerous to the Tsar?
Modernization was dangerous to the Tsar because it endangered his position as the leader of Russia. It would be difficult to maintain his position of power over a modernized Russia. Other modernized countries had democracies and parliaments, and monarchs have little power if they even existed in the government. Also, industrialization created social tensions between the working class when they flock to the cities to work in factories, and congregating them together would only facilitate disputes between the two. It would also increase the people's ability to overthrow the government, because industrialized countries meant more educated workers, and a larger middle class that might decide to overthrow the government.
Modernization was dangerous to the Tsar because it endangered his position as the leader of Russia. It would be difficult to maintain his position of power over a modernized Russia. Other modernized countries had democracies and parliaments, and monarchs have little power if they even existed in the government. Also, industrialization created social tensions between the working class when they flock to the cities to work in factories, and congregating them together would only facilitate disputes between the two. It would also increase the people's ability to overthrow the government, because industrialized countries meant more educated workers, and a larger middle class that might decide to overthrow the government.
3. How did Witte try to build up industry?
Witte tried to build up industry by giving a huge investment to industry, which he hoped would lead to an upward growth, and increase the demand for industrial products, hence leading to further industrial growth. He focused on the railroads, hoping it would increase demand for supplies such as iron, steel, coal, and other railroad-related industries, as well as improve communications. To pay these investments, he planned to squeeze money out of the peasants, and he hoped the industrialization would increase the wages and make up for the money he took from them before it really hurt them.
4. How successful was Witte's economic policy?
It went well until 1902, when other nations stopped buying Russian industrial products. Thousands of workers lost their jobs and strikes broke out.
No comments:
Post a Comment