THE MULTI-ETHNIC EMPIRE. RUSSIA’S ETHNIC DIVERSITY 1897 Census: population = 123 million, over...

THE MULTI-ETHNIC EMPIRE


RUSSIA’S ETHNIC DIVERSITY

1897 Census: population = 123 million, over 100 different ethnicities

Slavs = 73.12%

• Russians = 44.3%

• Ukrainians = 17.81%

• Poles = 6.31%

• Belorussians = 4.68%




13 million Turkic peoples

• Tatars, Azerbaijanis, Uzbeks, Bashkirs, Kazakhs, Kirghiz, Turkmen, Tajiks, Kalmyks

5 million Jews

3 million Finno-Ugric peoples:

• Finns, Estonians

1.7 million Germans




1.6 million ethnically diverse inhabitants of Caucasus

• Chechens, Dagastani, Avars, Ingush, Karabads, Ossetians, etc.

1.3 million Georgians

1.1 million Armenians




1.4 million Latvians

1.2 million Lithuanians

Many smaller groups:

• Artic & Siberian peoples:

Evenki, Chukchi, Nenets, Buryat, Samoed, Yakuts

• Far Eastern Asians

• Roma (Gypsies)


IMPERIAL NATIONALITIES POLICY

Varied over time, by ruler, depended on ethnic group

Under Alexander III, intense RUSSIFICATION

All subjects should be Russian in language, culture

Tried to stamp out nationalism

Russia official language

Forced conversion to Orthodoxy



JEWS

Lived in PALE OF SETTLEMENT

Imperial policy towards Jews inconsistent

Under Alex III became very oppressive

• Restriction to Pale strictly enforced

• Quotas in universities

• All Jews disenfranchised

• POGROMS allowed

But Alex could not go as far as might have wanted against Jews



UKRAINIANS

Had come under Tsarist control voluntarily in 17th century

In 19th century developed national consciousness

Russian govt. refused to recognize distinctness

Led to development of strong nationalist movement



POLES

Always resented Russian rule

Had well-developed sense of national consciousness

Liberal constitution did not satisfy desire for freedom

Multiple rebellions

• 1794, 1830, 1863

• After 1830, lost constitution

• After 1863, subject to intense Russification



TRANS-CAUCASIANS

GEORGIANS & ARMENIANS

• had well-developed national identities

• initially welcomed tsarist control

• some benefits to Russian rule

• But also became subject to Russification

AZERBAIJANIS

• Muslim population

• lacked well-developed national identity



CENTRAL ASIANS

Frontier region

Colonial administrators = military

• mostly left untouched local/tribal law & customs

• introduced some positive measures

• but looked on as foreign conquerors

• utilized to serve imperial interests

• intense Russian settlement

THE MULTI-ETHNIC EMPIRE. RUSSIA’S ETHNIC DIVERSITY 1897 Census: population = 123 million, over...

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