Evaluate the effectiveness of Stolypin’s policies in stabilizing Russia after the 1905 Revolution.

The question requires that candidates make an appraisal of Stolypin’s policies after the 1905 Revolution and assess whether they resolved the underlying problems in Russia. Responses may point out that Stolypin’s policies were a mixture of repression (Stolypin’s Necktie) and reform. He introduced land reform, freeing peasants from the Mir and establishing the Peasants Land Bank in an attempt to form a loyal kulak class. Some may argue that this was too little, too late and that peasant discontent pre-1914 indicated the limits of this policy. Politically, the empire appeared stable but it could be argued that this was a consequence of the alteration of electoral law to produce a compliant Duma and the suppression of radical opposition. In the pre-war period after Stolypin’s death there were many outbreaks of discontent (Lena Goldfield Strike) supporting the view that Stolypin’s policies were only effective to a limited extent. Candidates’ opinions or conclusions will be presented clearly and supported by appropriate evidence.

The question required that candidates make an appraisal of the effectiveness of Stolypin's policies in stabilizing Russia after the 1905 Revolution. Responses to this question varied. In some cases, there was good, detailed knowledge provided. However, weaker responses had little specific knowledge of Stolypin's policies, for example his agrarian reforms and/or tended to generalizations.