The beginning of the 20th century turned out to be a rather difficult period for Russia. Bourgeois and socialist revolutions, which led to a split in society, as well as frequent changes in political course, gradually weakened the empire. Subsequent events in the country were no exception.
The early dissolution of the II State Duma, which took place in Russia on June 3, 1907, which was accompanied by a change in the electoral system that existed until then, went down in history as the Third June Coup.
Reasons for dissolution
The reason for the early termination of the powers of the Second Duma was the impossibility of reasonable and fruitful interaction in the work of the government, headed by Prime Minister Stolypin, and the state self-government body, which at that time consisted mainly of representatives of leftist parties, such as socialist revolutionaries, social democrats, popular socialists. In addition, the Trudoviks also joined them.
The Second Duma, which opened in February 1907, had the same oppositional moods as the First Duma, dissolved earlier. Most of its memberswas inclined not to accept practically all bills proposed by the government, including the budget one. And vice versa, all the provisions put forward by the Duma could not be accepted by either the State Council or the Emperor.
Contradictions
Thus, there was a situation that was a constitutional crisis. It consisted in the fact that the laws allowed the emperor to dissolve the Duma at any time. But at the same time, he was obliged to collect a new one, since without its approval he could not make any changes to the electoral law. At the same time, there was no certainty that the next convocation would not be as oppositional as the previous one.
Government decision
Stolypin found a way out of this situation. He and his government decided at the same time to dissolve the Duma and make the necessary changes from their point of view to the electoral law.
The reason for this was the visit of the deputies of the Social Democratic Party by a whole delegation of soldiers from one of the garrisons of St. Petersburg, who gave them the so-called soldier's order. Stolypin managed to present such an insignificant event as a blatant episode of a conspiracy against the existing state system. On June 1, 1907, he announced this at a regular meeting of the Duma. He demanded that a decision be made to dismiss 55 deputies who are members of the Social Democratic faction, as well as to remove immunity from some of them.
The Duma could not give an immediate answer to the tsarist government and organizedspecial commission, whose decision was to be made on July 4. But, without waiting for the report, Nicholas II, already 2 days after Stolypin's speech, dissolved the Duma by his decree. In addition, an updated electoral law was promulgated and the next elections were scheduled. The Third Duma was supposed to begin its work on November 1, 1907. Thus, the second convocation lasted only 103 days and ended with the dissolution, which went down in history as the Third June coup d'état.
The last day of the First Russian Revolution
The dissolution of the Duma is the emperor's right. But at the same time, the change in the electoral law itself was a gross violation of Article 87 of the Collection of Fundamental State Laws. It said that only with the consent of the State Council and the Duma can any amendment be made to this document. That is why the events that took place on June 3 were called the Third June Coup of 1907.
The dissolution of the second Duma came at a time when the strike movement noticeably weakened and agrarian unrest practically ceased. As a result, relative calm was established in the empire. Therefore, the Third of June (1907) coup d'état is also called the last day of the First Russian Revolution.
Changes
How was the electoral law reformed? According to the new wording, the changes affected the electorate directly. This meant that the circle of voters themselves narrowed to a large extent. Moreover, members of society occupying more thanhigh we alth status, i.e. landowners and citizens with good incomes, received the majority of seats in parliament.
The June 3 coup d'etat significantly accelerated the elections to the new Third Duma, which took place in the fall of that year. They took place in an atmosphere of terror and unprecedented revelry of reaction. Most of the Social Democrats were arrested.
As a result, the Third June coup led to the fact that the III Duma turned out to be made up of pro-government factions - nationalist and Octobrist, and there were very few representatives from leftist parties.
I must say that the total number of electoral seats has been preserved, but the peasant representation has halved. The number of deputies from various national outskirts has also significantly decreased. Some regions were completely deprived of representation.
Results
In cadet-liberal circles, the June 3 coup was briefly described as "shameless" because it ensured a monarchist-nationalist majority in the new Duma in a rather rude and frank manner. Thus, the tsarist government shamelessly violated the main provision of the manifesto, adopted in October 1905, that no law can be approved without preliminary discussion and approval in the Duma.
Oddly enough, the June 3rd coup in the country was taken calmly. Many politicians were surprised by such indifference fromside of the people. There were no demonstrations, no strikes. Even newspapers commented on this event in a rather calm tone. The revolutionary activity and terrorist acts that had been observed until that time began to decline.
The June 3 coup was of great importance. The new convocation immediately began fruitful legislative work, excellent contacts with the government. But on the other hand, the significant changes that the electoral law has undergone have destroyed the idea of the people that the Duma is guarding their interests.
