Nicholas II and the Duma: Russia's Failed Parliament

In the wake of the 1905 Revolution, Tsar Nicholas II reluctantly agreed to create a national parliament, the Duma, hoping to channel reformist energies and preserve autocratic power. This episode explores the four Dumas that met between 1906 and 1917, focusing on the First Duma's fiery demands for land reform, the clash with Prime Minister Pyotr Stolypin, the Third Duma's conservative turn, and the Fourth Duma's paralysis during World War I. We examine the Duma's key figures: liberal Kadet leader Pavel Milyukov, the fiery Alexander Guchkov, socialist Alexander Kerensky, and the right-wing Vladimir Purishkevich. We also discuss Stolypin's agrarian reforms and the Fundamental Laws that gutted the Duma's power. The Duma was a theater of political drama, but ultimately a failed experiment that could not bridge the gap between autocracy and popular representation. Its story is central to understanding the February Revolution and the fall of the Romanovs. #Romanovs #NicholasII #Duma #1905Revolution #Stolypin #RussianHistory #PavelMilyukov #AlexanderKerensky #FundamentalLaws #Kadets #OctoberManifesto #AgrarianReform #FebruaryRevolution #Autocracy #RussianParliament #History #FexingoHistory #EasternEurope Keep every episode free: buymeacoffee.com/fexingo