This module examines Russian history from 1825 through to the outbreak of the First World War, focusing on differences between Russia and the countries of western Europe. It explores the nature of the tsarist autocracy, seeing how successive governments sought to introduce social and economic changes that would allow Russia to become more modern, while preserving intact a traditional system of rule.
The module also examines the rise of the revolutionary movement from the 1850s onwards, discussing the tactics used in efforts to destroy tsarism, ranging from terrorism through to mobilising the working population of the cities and countryside against the government. While a good deal of attention is given to the various social and political pressures that exploded in the February Revolution, lectures and seminars encourage students to explore tsarist history as a fascinating subject ‘in its own right’, rather than simply as a prelude to the dramatic events of 1917.
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