Witte and Stolypin's Reform Attempts
Russia's two major reform attempts show how economic modernisation can actually create more problems than it solves - especially when you ignore the people bearing the costs.
Witte's Industrial Revolution: Sergei Witte basically tried to drag Russia into the modern world through state capitalism. His Trans-Siberian Railway (5,770 miles of track!) connected the empire like never before, whilst foreign investment jumped from 16 companies in 1888 to 269 by 1900. Russia became the world's top oil producer and massively increased steel output.
But here's the catch - Witte funded this by hammering the peasants with taxes and keeping worker wages ridiculously low. He exported 47% of grain production whilst people starved, and spent 20% of the budget on foreign debt payments instead of education. No wonder revolutionary ideas spread!
Key Point: Witte's railways weren't just transport - they were "agents of civilisation" that accidentally helped revolutionary ideas spread across the empire.
Stolypin's Agricultural Gamble: After 1905, Pyotr Stolypin tried a different approach - "the wager of the strong" encouraged successful peasants to leave communal farming and buy their own land. He cancelled outstanding redemption payments and provided financial help for land purchases.
His political repression was brutal though - "Stolypin's neckties" (hangings) executed 3,600 people, whilst 20,000 got exiled to Siberia. Despite making Russia the biggest cereal exporter by 1914, most peasants were too traditional to embrace change - 95% of those who left communes actually returned!