(i) By February 1917, Russia was a multinational empire, ruled by an autocrat, who was known as Tsar. The territory was huge, including a large part of Central Asia and parts of Eastern Europe.
(ii) There were no representative institutions, no right to form political or trade union organisations, no elections.
(iii) There was strict censorship and arbitrary arrests. There was no religious tolerance, and the other nationalities and minorities in Europe did not enjoy equal rights with the Russians, because the Tsar, Nicholas II, belonged to the Russian Romanov dynasty.
(iv) The Tsar used his military and diplomatic strength against all democratic movements in Europe.
Peasants' dissatisfaction with the Autocracy
(i) Peasants were also dissatisfied with the autocracy. The landed aristocracy remained strong and continued to oppress the peasants. Peasants constituted about 80 percent of the population, but had hardly 50 percent of the land. The demand for land was therefore, a major cause for anger against the Tsar.
(ii) The freed peasants were also angry because they had to pay very heavily for both land and freedom. The Tsar was interested in keeping the goodwill and support of the big landlords by giving more than fair compensation to them.
(iii) The peasants had to pay such a heavy price that they remained continually in debt, and were forced to work very cheaply for the landlords.
(iv) Peasants were also very heavily burdened with taxes.
(v) The peasants did not have enough money to invest in the improvement of their land, so, agriculture remained backward.
(vi) In all matters of interest to the peasants the autocracy sided with the landlords and set out troops to suppress peasants' revolts.
