Pyotr (Peter) Stolypin

Who was Pyotr Stolypin?

Pyotr Stolypin was the Prime Minister of Russia, and Minister of Internal Affairs of the Russian Empire from 1906 to his assassination in 1911.

What was Pyotr Stolypin best known for?

Stolypin was known for 6 key actions he took as prime minister:

• ❖ His policy of repression after the 1905 Revolution. Stolypin used the police and army to crush the revolutionaries.
• ❖ There were thousands of executions by hanging, or 'Stolypin's necktie', between 1906 and 1909.
• ❖ In 1906, he reformed farming by introducing a law allowing peasants to leave the commune. It also let them enclose their strips of land into small farms. Stolypin hoped this would help prevent revolution and free up labour for industrialisation.
• ❖ He introduced social reform between 1906 and 1912, including doubling spending on health, poor relief and aid for farmers.
• ❖ He introduced the Peasant Land Bank in 1906, which gave loans to peasants to buy land.
• ❖ In 1907, he changed the system for elections to the Duma so only the richest third of Russia could vote. He also removed the voting rights of national minorities.

What methods did Pyotr Stolypin use to keep control?

Stolypin was known for using a 'carrot and stick' approach to keep control of Russia. He introduced land and welfare reforms to appease the peasants and workers, but at the same time he violently suppressed all opposition.

How successful were Pyotr Stolypin's policies?

Stolypin was successful in 5 main ways:

• ❖ Discontent was reduced. The number of political assassinations decreased from around 1200 to 385 and there were fewer peasant uprisings or strikes.
• ❖ Heavy industry increased, with a 50% growth in iron and steel production.
• ❖ Private land ownership increased, with peasants leaving the mirs.
• ❖ Working conditions in factories improved with the introduction of safety inspectors, and workers benefitted from employee insurance against accidents and sickness.
• ❖ His suppression of opposition worked and he was able to crush the 1905 Moscow Uprising.

How did Pyotr Stolypin's policies fail?

Stolypin failed in 5 main ways:

• ❖ His policies, in particular land reform, needed more time to work. He was assassinated only 5 years after it was introduced.
• ❖ His reforms did not go far enough to improve the living and working conditions of both the peasants and the urban workers.
• ❖ Discontent and opposition still existed and there were still strikes and demonstrations.
• ❖ His repressive measures created even more resentment.
• ❖ Some of his reforms were undermined by Tsar Nicholas II.

What was Pyotr Stolypin's relationship with Nicholas II?

Stolypin's relationship with Tsar Nicholas II changed over time:

• ❖ Initially, Tsar Nicholas II had a positive relationship with Stolypin because he successfully suppressed uprisings in Russia.
• ❖ Nicholas II did undermine some of Stolypin's reforms on education and improvements in factory conditions.
• ❖ There is some evidence that Nicholas II was about to dismiss Stolypin as prime minister just before he was assassinated.

Why was Pyotr Stolypin important?

Pyotr Stolypin was the driving force behind reform after 1905.

How did Pyotr Stolypin die?

Stolypin was assassinated in Kiev on 18th September, 1911.