Land Reform: Creating Loyal Farmers
Stolypin's most ambitious project was transforming Russian agriculture to create a class of prosperous peasant landowners who'd support the regime. The government abolished the hated redemption payments that had kept peasants in poverty since the 1860s and established peasant land banks to provide affordable loans.
The results were impressive on paper - agricultural output jumped by a third and peasant land ownership increased by 30%. About 7 million peasants gained their own plots, and many of these new kulaks (wealthy peasants) became reliable government supporters.
Yet the reforms had serious limitations. Only 15% of peasant families actually took advantage of the opportunity to buy private land, and take-up varied wildly across different regions. Still, the policy successfully reduced peasant unrest and created a buffer of loyal landowners between the Tsar and potential revolutionaries.
Remember: The land reforms weren't just about economics - they were a calculated political move to "divide and conquer" the peasantry by creating winners and losers.
Russification: Asserting Imperial Control
Stolypin extended russification policies that promoted Russian language and culture throughout the empire whilst suppressing national minorities. This particularly affected Poland, where voting rules for local Zemstva elections were changed to exclude Polish nationalist supporters.
Amongst ethnic Russians, these policies were genuinely popular as they promised to modernise the country and restore Russia's international prestige. Russian nationalists saw cultural unity as essential for competing with other European powers.
However, russification created bitter resentment amongst non-Russian peoples who wanted greater autonomy. This tension wouldn't disappear until the empire itself collapsed, showing that whilst Stolypin strengthened his position amongst Russians, he stored up serious problems for the future.
The Tsar's authority was successfully restored between 1905-1914, but the foundations remained shaky. When World War One exposed the regime's fundamental weaknesses, all of Stolypin's careful work would unravel with devastating speed.