At the end of the 19th century, Russia was significantly behind Europe economically and did not possess the modern agricultural technologies that could efficiently provide livelihoods of a great country. As a result, 90% of the Russian population were peasants (Massey, 4). The servants lived in deep poverty; they did not have the proper machinery to produce sufficient crops, and most landowners had incredibly high demands. In an attempt to reform the recessionary economy, Tsar Alexander II freed the serfs. However this created further harm to both serfs and nobles. At first the serfs saw this as a great victory and another reason to be grateful to their tsar. But as time passed the farmers saw that this life of freedom and freedom became more and more difficult. The government compensated the nobles directly, while less desirable lands were sold to the peasants at a much higher price. The monthly rent paid to the nobles was replaced by payment to the state (Massey, 5). And while between 1861 and 1917 the population almost doubled, poverty increased not only among the peasants but also among the nobles. The nobles found it difficult to assimilate them into a new lifestyle in which they would have to exchange their lavish possessions for agricultural tools and as a result many of them acquired a large amount of debt. This period signifies a time when the Russian people opened their eyes to the deep poverty and life of oppression they lived. This is the point at which the feelings of the peasants who previously worshiped the Tsar turned bitter. After constant resistance to industrialization, the Tsar finally relented, aggressive approaches were taken, and railroads grew by over 15,500 miles by 1880 (Massey,6). Since industrial production was...... middle of paper... anyone who did not follow these commands would be exiled to a prison in Siberia. Some of these political prisoners were even executed just for practicing their religion or speaking their native language. This also forced them to become increasingly bitter towards the Tsar. A Bolshevik revolution in which the proletariat would rule the nation was all they aspired to. Deplorable working conditions, strong ethnic division, political repression and an autocratic government were the underlying conditions that made the Russian people desire a Bolshevik revolution. During the late 19th century everyone, including the nobles, was deeply in debt due to failed attempts at land reform. The last straw that really pushed Russian citizens to side with the Bolsheviks was during World War I, where despite their struggling economy they decided to go to war..