Tsar Nicholas the Second was the last Russian Tsar. He was known for his incompetency in his rule caused in part by his lack of training when his father, Tsar Alexander III, suddenly passed away. Ultimately, he was expected to rule with the belief that he had been 'god ordained.' Yet he was a shy man who knew that he was not prepared to rule a country to large. He was not eager to make decisions or to in engage political issues, but he was eager to maintain the autocratic style of rule that was left by his father. This led to his inability to adapt when needed to respond to the changing needs surrounding and within Russia. His hard willed stance for autocracy was backed by the Tsarina Alexandra who turned Tsar Nicholas from those who would tried to persuade him to reform.
Issues of Russia:
Poor Economy, primitive industrial techniques, vastness of country - Russia's economy was still far behind that of France and Britain. They were no where near the economic level that the great powers were at. To make matters worst the industry was also lacking and needed a major upgrade in order to maintain any hope of catching up economically. Russia's industry within agriculture, in the 1900s, was still stuck in the middle aged framework. Serfdom was still the main style of rule causing inefficient production as well as dissatisfaction among the workers. The peasants that made up much of Russia's population faced starvation, low wages, debts and a desire for more land.
Tsar Nicholas feared that any modernization would harm his autocratic rule. A rise in social and economic powers might challenge his regime when workers become dissatisfied with their working conditions. Workers might be able to gain a better education or become elevated into the middle class where political groups are bound to listen to any needs and issues. Overall, Nicholas realized the need to modernize while also avoiding social or economic reforms
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