Russification

What was the policy of Russification?

Russification was a policy used by both Nicholas II and the communists to encourage non-Russian minorities to identify as Russian, for example by following the Russian Orthodox religion and speaking the Russian language.

Why did Nicholas II use Russification?

There were 3 main reasons why the policy of Russification was introduced:

• ❖ The different nationalities throughout Russia were difficult to manage.
• ❖ Many did not identify as Russian and their loyalty lay with their local culture and leaders instead of with Moscow.
• ❖ Some nationalities wanted independence, which was a threat.

How did Russia's leaders try to achieve Russification?

There were 10 main methods of Russification:

• ❖ Stolypin ensured that Finland became a full part of the empire in 1906.
• ❖ The Bolsheviks passed the Decree on Nationalities in 1917.
• ❖ The 1918 constitution formally created the RSFSR which incorporated parts of Central Asia formally into the Empire.
• ❖ The 1924 constitution created the USSR.
• ❖ The 1936 constitution apparently gave more rights and representation to nationalities, but in reality Stalin had tightened his control.
• ❖ The communists allowed nationalities to keep their own governments, but the Sovnarkom always had the final say in all decisions.
• ❖ Children were taught Russian in schools.
• ❖ Restricting the practice of minority religions.
• ❖ Improving infrastructure so there were better communications between Moscow and the more distant regions of the Empire.
• ❖ Repression of uprisings and protests against the regime.

How successful was Russification?

The challenges posed by the different nationalities never went away, but there were 3 key elements of success.

• ❖ Nicholas II ensured that different nationalities were represented in the Duma so that they feel more involved with the political decisions.
• ❖ Stalin was able to re-incorporate areas which were lost after the Treaty of Brest-Litovsk, such as Poland with the Nazi-Soviet Pact.
• ❖ The Duma and constitutions, while they were in reality very limited in the freedoms they granted, placated the nationalities and prevented any mass uprisings.

How did Russification fail?

There were 5 main ways in which the policy of Russification failed:

• ❖ Minority protests contributed to the collapse of the Provisional Government.
• ❖ Lenin lost huge areas of the empire with the Treaty of Brest-Litovsk.
• ❖ Many nationalities failed to demonstrate true loyalty to Stalin. For example, Ukrainian peasants were particularly hostile towards collectivisation.
• ❖ Many nationalities would continue with their own language and culture in secret despite the restrictions imposed.
• ❖ The different nationalities still strived for independence.