REVOLUTION OF 1905–07

REVOLUTION OF 1905–07 (First Russian Revolution), took place in Russia as a result of the national crisis of the beginning of the 20th century. The impetus for the beginning of the Revolution was the shooting of a peaceful demonstration in St. Petersburg on January 9th, 1905.

In Ufa, mass strikes began with a rally of January 12th, which brought together about 200 people. On January, 19th, there was a rally of workers (2 thous. people) in Ufa railway workshops. Between January—April, strikes took place at I.I.Gutman’ Plant in Ufa and at most mining plants. On May 1st, a demonstration of solidarity with the International Labour Movement was held in Ufa, and there were strikes at 6 enterprises of Ufa Guberniya. Between May—August, 31 strikes took place in Ufa and Orenburg guberniyas. On October 7th, the All‑Russia political strike was joined by workers, employees of banks, post offices and the telegraph of Ufa. As a result of the strike, economic life in Ufa and the Ufa Gub. was partially paralyzed. On the order of the Governor, B.P.Tsekhanovetsky, troops entered the territory to restore the railway connection. In December, the Right Monarchical Patriotic Society of artisans and workers of the Ufa railway workshops was formed. To combat the Chernosotentsy (Black Hundreds) Movement, a Security Committee was created under the Ufa City Duma, while a detachment of volunteer police was created at some enterprises of Ufa, incl. the Beloretsky Plant, etc. In December, a political strike began on the Samara‑Zlatoustovsk Railway. The Council of Workers’ Deputies (chairman — I.S.Yakutov) was created on the basis of strike committee at the Ufa railway workshops. The movement of trains was stopped and the telegraph connection was interrupted. A public rally was held in the workshops. It ended with the armed clash between the combatants and the soldiers, who arrived to disperse protesters. The Bashkirs advocated the return of previously occupied lands (ref. Patrimonial Law of the Bashkirs). Between November—December, 34 large peasant strikes took place in Ufa and Orenburg guberniyas. The Ufa Governor, A.S.Klyucharyov, took measures to strengthen the administrative apparatus and law enforcement bodies. Since 1906, there was a gradual decline in the number and strength of revolution strikes. In the mid. of 1906, a unified organization of the Russian Social Democratic Labour Party was created, the combat units of the Bolsheviks performed terrorist acts, and forcible expropriation of state and private property. By 1907, as a result of the strengthening of the police and the gendarmerie, the number of parties was reduced. Revolution organizations moved to undercover methods of struggle. The dissolution of the 2nd State Duma in 1907 marked the defeat of R. and its end. The results of R. were freedom of speech, cancellation of redemption payments by peasants; publication of the decree on tolerance, softening of the policy of Russification in the national suburbs of the Russian Empire. For the first time in the history of Russia, a representative institution — the State Duma – was convened.