How far may the period 1881-1914 be regarded as “wasted years” in the solution of Russias internal problems?
Wasted for who? . Neither of the Tsars wanted to reform. They wanted modernization while keeping the autocracy intact. The modernization was primarily for military purposes. In many ways it undermined the autocracy. It created a middle class, it required taxes to pay for all those railways etc which strained economy and hence fueled the discontent of those who didn’t benefit. Oh yes it created literacy amongst the peasants and so made them open to new, often revolutionary ideas. With hindsight this was suicidal but to talk of “wasted years” implies aims the Tsars did not have. There were more reforming minded ministers such as Witte and Stolypin but they were never really supported by the Tsar. Stolypin’s attack of the village commune (allowing villagers to create separate plots) had the Socialist Revolutionary party in a panic as their land policy was based on the commune but it was no magic solution (ie for Tsarism). Figes (A peoples Tragedy) tells the story of Sergei Semenov a peasa
