October 1907 Russian legislative election

Parliamentary elections were held in the Russian Empire in October 1907. They were the second that year after the dissolution of the Second State Duma. This was the first Duma elected after the coup of June 1907, in which the government intentionally altered the voting system so as to restrict the voting rights of the lower classes while increasing the voting power of landowners, a move which was intended to create much more pro-Tsar Dumas.[1][2] The election was therefore only quasi-democratic as only the richest third of the population was able to vote.[2] Consequently, the constitutional monarchist-supporting Union of October 17 (Octobrist) Party emerged as the largest party in the third State Duma, winning 148 of the 435 seats, up from 32 in the January 1907 election.[3][4]

October 1907 Russian legislative election
October 1907
All 435 seats in the State Duma
218 seats needed for a majority
  Majority party Minority party Third party
 
Leader Alexander Guchkov Pavel Milyukov Ivan Yefryemov
Party Octobrist Cadet PP–PMO
Seats won 148 53 25
Seat change 116 45 New
  Fourth party Fifth party
 
Leader Julius Martov Alexey Aladyin
Party RSDLP Trudoviks
Seats won 19 14
Seat change 46 90
Chairman before election

Fyodor Golovin
Cadet

 Chairman-designate

Nikolay Khomyakov
Octobrist

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As a result of the Third Duma's makeup being much more favourable to the government, the Third Duma was the only one of four State Dumas in the Russian Empire that worked the full statutory five-year term.[1] Considerable reforms, which were very successful, were passed during the Third Duma's term, which modernised agriculture and industry while improving the working conditions of workers.

Unbalanced electoral system

This was the first election after the coup of June 1907, in which the Tsarist government purposely altered the voting system for elections so as to create more pro-Tsar Dumas.[2] Landowners were given much more voting power, the voting rights of peasants and workers were restricted, and the number of representatives of so-called 'national remote areas' (i.e. ethnic minorities) was also reduced.[1][2] Only the most affluent third of population was able to vote in this and future elections, and only one per cent of the electorate now elected at least 300 of the 435 deputies.[2][4] Thus, the Third Duma, and the Fourth Duma after it, was less radical and more flexible than the First and Second Dumas, and both were much more favourable to the government.[2] Despite this, the Duma continued to attempt to influence the Tsarist government and hold the government to account, questioning ministers and opposing certain legislation.[4]

Class of electors Average number needed
to elect one representative
Landowners230
Wealthy businessmen1,000
Lower middle class15,000
Peasants60,000
Workers125,000
Source: [4]

Results
Party Seats +/–
Union of October 17148+116
Nationalists83New
Right-wing56+34
Constitutional Democratic Party53–45
Progressist Party-Party of Peaceful Renovation25New
Russian Social Democratic Labour Party19–46
Trudoviks14–90
Polskie Koło11New
Muslim Group8New
Polish-Lithuanian-Belarusian Group7–39
Independents7–43
Total435–93
Sources: [5][6]

In session

Land reform

The Prime Minister Pyotr Stolypin was able to pass considerable land reform during the Third Duma's term.[7] Redemption payments, which peasants had to make to landowners to compensate them for the emancipation of the serfs in 1861, were cancelled.[7] Loans were made available to peasants for them to buy their own land.[7] Mirs (communities of peasant farmers) could no longer stop peasants from leaving the commune to buy their own land.[7] Financial incentives and subsidies were also offered to peasants to move to remote areas of Siberia to open up the region's countryside.[7] Many of these reforms were highly successful: agricultural output increased by a third, while peasant land ownership increased by 30%.[7]

Industrial reform

Considerable reforms in the industrial sector were also passed through the Third Duma by Stolypin.[7] It was hoped that agrarian reforms would reduce the need for large workforces in the countryside, and that this would fuel increasing urbanisation, which in turn would help build the industrial sector.[7] These industrial reforms were also very successful.[7] Heavy industry increased considerably: the production of iron and steel increased by 50%, and by the outbreak of the First World War, the reforms had helped Russia become the fourth largest producer of steel, coal and iron.[7]

Working conditions reform

Improvements were also made to the working environment of workers during the term of the Third Duma.[7] Safety inspectors were introduced into factories, while employee insurance schemes were introduced which provided protection against accidents and illness.[7]

Other reforms

The Third Duma also introduced legislation to set up schools for poor children.[4]

References
  1. "History of the State Duma". duma.gov.
  2. "The Dumas". BBC Bitesize. BBC. Retrieved 19 March 2021.
  3. "State Duma" Отечественная история с древнейших времён до 1917 года Great Russian Encyclopedia, 1994, pp611–613
  4. Culpin, Christopher (2012). The Russian Revolution,1894‐1924 (Enquiring History Series ed.). Hodder Education. pp. 56–57. ISBN 978-1444144567.
  5. Walsh, Warren B. (1950). "Political Parties in the Russian Dumas". The Journal of Modern History. 22 (2): 148.
  6. Jay-Smith, C. (1958). "The Russian Third State Duma: An Analytical Profile". The Russian Review. 17 (3): 202.
  7. "Reforms of Stolypin". BBC Bitesize. BBC. Retrieved 19 March 2021.
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