This presented a problem to the autocracy in that it was dangerous (from a revolutionary point of view) to have so many discontent people (around 3 million) so close to the centers of power. Any revolutionary sentiment that arose was crushed and society was kept under the thumb of the autocracy through harsh oppression.
In an attempt to bolster the economy (through the gain of ice-free sea ports into the Pacific) and expand into the Far East, Russia, under the reign of Nicholas II, waged war on Japan in 1904. The physically large, yet ill-equipped and poorly lead Russian defense forces were obliterated by the Japanese in under a year. This caused a near-revolution and lead to the Tsar's decision to release the "October Manifesto", a basic constitution which granted a nationally elected parliament - the Duma. While in theory the Duma would make Russia a constitutional monarchy and put power into the hands of the people, Nicholas II made sure this did not happen by issuing the "Fundamental Laws" in 1906, just before the first Duma would be instituted. .
These "Fundamental Laws" basically kept all of the Tsars powers in tact and served to make the Duma practically useless as one of the lines in the document stated that "The Emperor approves laws; and without his approval no legislative measure can become law." This meant that everything the Duma decided on had to have the Tsars approval to become law and effectively took away any real governmental power that the Duma had. .
With a useless government, social discontent only grew worse and as it did, repression got more intense. By the time WWI did begin in 1914, Russian society was nearly at boiling point. .
World War 1 was initially greeted with patriotism and enthusiasm throughout Russian society, a mood which would soon turn sour. .
Like in the 1904-5 war against Japan, Russia's army was again poorly equipped. Nearly a million men started the war with no rifles and many more had no boots.
What were the causes of the decline and fall of the Romanov dynasty? There were many causes as to the fall of the Romanov of dynasty. ... A major factor, which contributed to the fall of the Romanovs, was Nicholas II himself. ... He was one of the main reasons for the decline and fall of the Romanovs. ... Before his death, Rasputin foretold of the fall of the Romanovs. ...
Rasputin Research Assessment Investigate the role of Rasputin in causing the collapse of the Romanov Dynasty Grigori Yefimovich Rasputin, also known as the Mad Monk' was undoubtedly one of the key factors contributing to the fall of the last Tsar of Russia, Nicholas II. ... The Romanov's had ruled Russia since 1613. ... Rasputin played a small but pivotal role in the downfall of the Romanov dynasty that finally led to Bolshevik victory and the establishment of the Soviet Union. ... This was an enormous factor leading to the fall of the Romanovs, for it was at this time,...
The age of the Romanov's abruptly ended with the brutal slaughter of the Imperial family. ... The Romanov dynasty was in power in Russia from 1613 to 1917.The family was murdered at Ekateringburg on July 17th, 1918. ... Believing that he could somehow still save the dynasty, Nicholas II signed the abdication statement on March 15, 1917, making his brother, Grand Duke Mikhail, the new Tsar. The grand duke wisely declined the title, bringing the 304-year-old Romanov dynasty to an end. ... The Romanov's had given Lenin a major problem. ...