Main Turning Points 1855-1964

Social

• Granted basic civil rights - a major reform at the time
• Did not improve standard of living - created frustration and and resentment

Political

• Created the Zemtvas which allowed potential political activity (Taste for change)
• Still remained an autocratic leadership

Economy

• Encouraged industrialisation
• But did not receive the boost from emancipation that was expected as there were shortage of basic skills

Swept away the basis of the existing social order but not liberating enough - Led to Alex II assassination.

Social

• Peasant Land Bank
• Poll Tax abolished
• Russification
• 1889 - Land Captains
• Increased repression (Okhrana)

Political

• Reversal of reforms

Economy

• Witte encouraged foreign investment which accelerated industrial development.

It marked the last chance that the Romanovs might reform sufficiently to save their doomed dynasty - u;timately led to events in 1905 and 1917.

Social

• October Manifesto allowed freedom of speech and censorship reduced
• Major cause of Revolution 1905

Political

• Duma and political parties - if world War 1 did not interupt it could have been the saving grace of the Tsar.
• Shattered image of russia  - weakness of army showed weak autocracy.

Planted the seeds for the 1917 made room for the increase of the Bolsheviks

Social

• People were miserable

Political

• Liberalised by Prov Gvt. (Feb 1917)
• By nbot pulling out Bolsheviks able to take power turning to communism.

Economy

• Bigger change in approach from agriculture to industry - allowed industrialisation in the 1930's

The most significant turning point as not just physical change but a change in attitudes. Most important for the impact of economy as it facilitated the quickest industrialisation.

Social

• Requisition squads destroyed everything.
• Mass hunger

Political

• Change in ideology
• War Communism

Change in ideology from autocracy to glimmer of democracy to communism.

Social

• Level of repression peaks
• Working and living conditions still poor.

Political

• No political freedom
• One Party State
• Red Tsar

Economy

• Transformed into a modern industrial power
• Collectivisation
• 1st Five Year Plan

It created an economically powerful country that could rival other Super Powers.

Social

• 27 million people died
• Scroched earth policy

Political

• First time Russia had won a War for a century.
• Secured Stalins power unlike Tsars.

Economy

• Need for more industrialisation.

Made Russia into a super power, and was the catalyst of the Cold War. It also secured Stalins reign of Terror.

Political

• Destalinizatoin
• Becomes more liberal

Economic

• Creates a greater need to catch up with the West to  save Face
• Nuclear improvements

A turning point as i believe it marks the end of Communism as it ultimately led to its fall in 1992.