We very often met in the early morning to part only in the evening when night fell. The Duma was closed down after the Bolshevik Revolution in October, 1917. [2] Sergei Muromtsev, Professor of Law at Moscow University, was elected Chairman. Tsar Nicholas II and his family, 1914: (from left, seated) Marie, Alexandra, Nicholas II, and Anastasia; (foreground) Alexis; and (standing, from left) Olga and Tatiana. On January 22 (January 9, Old Style), 1905, more than 100 workers were killed and hundreds were wounded when police fired on a peaceful demonstration in front of the Winter Palace in St. Petersburg. In 1907 Stolypin introduced a new electoral law, by-passing the 1906 constitution, which assured a right-wing majority in the Duma. Гайда, к.и.н., исторический факультет МГУ им. The emperor would not consider such things. He also retained for himself the right to declare war, to control the Orthodox Church and to dissolve the Duma. The left-wing majority of the First Duma naturally wished to pass a mass of radical legislation. [1] The Third Duma was dominated by gentry, landowners and businessmen. (27), The President of the Duma, Michael Rodzianko, became very concerned about the situation in the city and sent a telegram to the Tsar: "The situation is serious. (18), Stolypin's repressive methods created a great deal of conflict. Hutchinson Penquin Random House UK, Provisional Council of the Russian Republic, Learn how and when to remove this template message, January 1907 Russian legislative election, October 1907 Russian legislative election, Inevitable? The troops of the garrison cannot be relied upon. It seems the last session was never opened (on 14 February), but kept closed on 27 February 1917. (4), On 22nd October, 1905, Sergei Witte sent a message to the Tsar: "The present movement for freedom is not of new birth. (26), The Grand Duke Alexander Mikhailovich shared the views of Rodzianko and sent a letter to the Tsar: "The unrest grows; even the monarchist principle is beginning to totter; and those who defend the idea that Russia cannot exist without a Tsar lose the ground under their feet, since the facts of disorganization and lawlessness are manifest. The liberals, frightened by the scope of the revolution, decided to operate within the new system, while the Marxists and Populists decided to boycott it. He refused and the Tsar recorded in his diary that the situation in "Petrograd is such that now the Ministers of the Duma would be helpless to do anything against the struggles the Social Democratic Party and members of the Workers Committee. For the Octobrists and the Kadets, who were the liberals in the parliament, Rasputin, and his support of autocracy and absolute monarchy, was one of their main obstacles. Ломоносова Министр внутренних дел Н.А. (23), Soon after the outbreak of the First World War the Duma voted to support Nicholas II and his government. The Fourth Duma held five sessions; it existed until 2 March 1917, and was formally dissolved on 6 October 1917. The press was now comparatively free, and censorship of literature was virtually ended. The Dumas, for all their restricted franchise and limited powers, were at least a forum in which virtually all political opinions could be expressed. The government is powerless to stop the disorders. Its roots are imbedded in centuries of Russian history. Changes were also made to the voting in towns and now those owning their own homes elected over half the urban deputies. They appeared on the streets and made a direct appeal to the soldiers to join the rebellion. Маклаков: политическая карьера русского Полиньяка, H. Rappaport (2016) Caught in the Revolution Petrograd 1917, p. 84. The present movement for freedom is not of new birth. The Tsar refused and instead ordered him to assume the role of a military dictator. Krymov told Rodzianko that the officers and men no longer had faith in Nicholas II and the army was willing to support the Duma if it took control of the government of Russia. (2), The Potemkin Mutiny spread to other units in the army and navy. [2], This ensured the third Duma (7 November 1907 – 9 June 1912) would be dominated by gentry, landowners and businessmen. It is all Witte's doing'. In July 1906 he made Stolypin prime minister, and on July 22 dissolved the Duma. This Duma, less radical and more conservative, left clear that the new electoral system would always generate a landowners-controlled Duma in which the tsar would have vast amounts of influence over, which in turn would be under complete submission to the Tsar, unlike the first two Dumas.[2]. Universal discontent is increasing. The Cambridge History of Russia: Volume 2, Imperial Russia, 1689-1917, p. 668 by Maureen Perrie, Dominic Lieven, Ronald Grigor Suny, Ф.А. (22), On 1st September, 1911, Peter Stolypin was assassinated by Dmitri Bogrov, a member of the Socialist Revolutionary Party, at the Kiev Opera House. At first he refused the post but the Tsar insisted: "Let us make the sign of the Cross over ourselves and let us ask the Lord to help us both in this difficult, perhaps historic moment." Largely ignored, it ended in their arrest and the closure of Kadet Party offices. He did not know that the Duma conservatives were already swept into the background by the revolutionary masses of workers and soldiers. It promised social and political reforms, particularly the election of a State Duma to participate in government. [note 1] The Duma refused to obey, and gathered in a private meeting. The February Revolution began on the 22nd when the Tsar had left for the front,[26] and strikes broke out in the Putilov workshops.