Who is the people here? (April-June, 1879).
Economic reactivation]
With 1.7 million rubles left over, the government of Tsar Alexander III decided to use that money (plus 2 million rubles more) in the economic revival of Samara, Astrakhan and Saratov.
Samara for its part reactive its railways and ports, where annually more than 1000 ships leave and enter from the Volga to there. The production of manufactured goods, stores and colonial products (dragon beans, furs, flip flops, etc.) was also on the rise with more than 300 stores in operation.
Saratov was one of the sites of technological development of the Russian Empire, in particular of electrical engineering. Electricity production in Russia was on the rise (although there are still many construction plans in this regard). Economically speaking, all kinds of industries have intensified with the industrialization of the Russian Empire (construction, machinery production, commerce, tourism, communication, etc).
In the city of Astrakhan the processing of oil, fruit, vegetables and fish, as well as the construction of machinery play the main roles in the economy.
With the investment, and 'return to normality' within the three Volga provinces, the region returned to prosper economically speaking in a short time (at a slow start).
The Volga region like other regions of Russia was growing considerably, although of course there were still quite a few projects for its economic development.
The Komitet Gosudarstvennogo Gradostroitel'stva (Committee of State Urban Planning) had already planned at that time the construction of considerable dams and other equipment for the navigation of the Volga, in addition to the Volga-Don canal.
With proper planning, not only many of the Volga River's tributaries could be navigated, but also 2,293 km (3,692m) of the river itself.
Now this also meant an increase in budget planning, and not only that since a connection between the Volga-Don canal and the White Sea-Baltic Sea canal was planned through a Volga-Baltic waterway.
An unprecedented infrastructural and waterway connection in Russia.
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[Narodnaya Volya]
The economic growth and political stability of the Russian Empire under Alexander III did not provide fertile ground for the growth of revolutionary and terrorist groups. The peasant mass was apolitical or still considerably conservative, the same with the nobility and the clergy obviously, although the bourgeoisie and the middle class were growing (urban worker-centers also tended to be more liberal or left-wing).
A movement known as 'Going to the People' (Хождение в народ) had developed, based on the thoughts of Mikhail Bakunin and Pyotr Lavrov. Going to the People believed in mobilizing the peasantry to overthrow the ruling classes. Unfortunately the members of 'Going to the People' were not usually workers and inhabitants of the peasantry, many had not even seen a rural Russian village in their lifetime, so many times the peasants themselves turned them over to the authorities.
Then Zemlya i volya or Zemlia i volia, 'Earth and Freedom' (Земля и воля) was formed, which included the following in its political program:
* Anarchism and collectivism.
* Transfer of all land to peasants in equal parts.
* Full communal self-government.
* Introduction of freedom of religion.
* Give nations the right to self-determination.
In their methods they were divided between methods of terror (terrorism) and methods of activity (propaganda, groups).
The organization collapsed due to internal conflicts and the fall of its leaders.
Then came, "The People's Will", or Narodnaya Volya in Russian, on April 2 the revolutionary populist Alexander Konstantinovich Solovyov, Alexander Ivanovich Barannikov, Andrey Ivanovich Zhelyabov, Aleksandr Aleksandrovich Kvyatkovsky , Maria Nikolaevna Oshanina, Lev Aleksandrovich Tikhomirov, Mikhail Fedorovich Frolenko and Stepan Grigorievich Shiryaev formed the first IK (Ispolnitel'nogo komiteta) or Executive Committee of Narodnaya Volya.
In July-September 1878 the first IK would be replaced by Nikolai Konstantinovich Bukh, Mikhail Fedorovich Grachevsky, V.V. Zege von Laurenberg, Savely Solomonovich Zlatopolsky, Aaron Isaakovich Zundelevich, Sofia Andreevna Ivanova, Grigory Prokofievich Isaev, Tatiana Ivanovna Lebedeva, Olga Spiridonovna Lyubatovich, Sophia Lvovna Perovskaya, Vera Nicolayevna Figner Filippova, Anna Vasilievna Yakimova.
However since its creation the Narodnaya Volya had in mind certain objectives, which were affirmed in the previous existence of Zemlya i volya. Tsar Alexander III had to die.
Also, there are other political objectives:
1-A permanent representation of the people, with the power in the national affairs.
2-Broad regional self-government, guaranteed by the electivity of all positions, the independence of the world and the economic independence of the people.
2-Independence of the world as an economic and administrative unit.
3-The ownership of the land by the people.
4-A system of measures designed to put all factories (and other) in the hands of the workers.
5-Complete freedom of conscience, expression, press, meetings, associations and electoral campaigns.
6-Universal suffrage, without class and property restrictions.
7-Substitution of a permanent army for a territorial one.
Zundelevich, Kvyatkovsky, G. D. Goldenberg and S. G. Shiryae would be captured in late 1879. Goldenberg would be particularly important as he revealed various information that would facilitate the capture of more members, but Narodnaya Volya continued to exist despite the capture of IK members.
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[Afghanistan and Russia]
* Russian perspective.
The Russian army had mobilized towards the (somewhat diffuse) border between Russia and Afghanistan, although Disraeli objected, the Russian diplomatic service explained that 'for the defense and stability of the Russian border' a greater military presence was necessary with the unstable Afghan territory.
For intelligence purposes (reconnaissance, diplomacy, etc.) the recently graduated artillery lieutenant Leonid Konstantinovich Artamonov traveled to Afghanistan. Where there he delivered more arms, artillery and supplies to Abdur Rahman Khan's Afghan rebels against the British.
The English army was beyond its usual capabilities, seriously limiting the logistics of a war in the mountainous terrain against the Afghan tribes that opposed it.
Afghans have fought each other continuously, but the destruction of Afghan villages by the British Raj government caused an obvious negative response within the population.
Guerrilla fighting was the obvious strategy of the Afghans, as Abdur Rahman Khan understood that Afghanistan could not compete with the British Empire in that regard.
In peripheral areas where there was no clear border boundary, the Russians and Afghans had a kind of unwritten agreement, where the Afghans could withdraw to these regions to resupply and be trained by Russian officers against the British.
Some cities nominally under the Emirate of Afghanistan had diplomatic relations with the Russians, asking for Russian citizenship due to the chaos created by the British.
* Anglo-Indian perspective.
"A 'subjugated' Afghan tribe can welcome you on their territory, local leaders will offer you tea and food, you can stay and talk and talk ...
When you leave, the Afghans will shoot you in the back. "
-Narration of a British soldier in the newspaper of his experience of the Second Anglo-Afghan War.
The logistics of the Anglo-Afghan campaign were undoubtedly difficult, not only because of the geographical terrain, the size and number of troops, but also because of the Afghans themselves and their guerrilla warfare against the British Empire.
The divide and conquer strategy did not work properly due to the English destruction of Afghan villages, but also because of the 'Iron Emir' Abdur Rahman Khan having united the Afghan tribes and army against the British.
The lack of a stable government (and the effective claim of Abdur Rahman Khan) prevented the Afghan division, if the British had tried to place another Emir, this one would have failed due to his 'puppet' status.
Quickly the spending of the British Raj and the British Empire increased, while the Russian Empire refused diplomatic talks, and simply stationed troops on its part of the Russian-Afghan border, supposedly to defend them in case of Afghan attacks.
But the Afghans didn't have too many problems with the Russians.
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[Electrification]
The city of Saint Petersburg was fully electrified in May 1879, which was a remarkable event for the Russian Empire.
Also for the ever closer St. Petersburg Universal Exhibition a project was being prepared mostly closed to the public, but the first St. Petersburg electric tram was practically finished and ready for the 1880 event.
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[Sport culture]
Four other teams are chosen for the Third Edition of the Russian Soccer League (Rossiyskaya futbol'naya liga, Российская футбольная лига). These teams are:
* Vladivostok.
* Novosibirsk.
* Helsingfors: The Swedish-speaking team from the Grand Duchy of Finland, enemies of the Finnish team from Finland. Supported by the Svecoman industrialists (increasingly endangered by the rising industrial and political Fennomans).
*Moscow.
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[International]
On April 5, 1879, one of its most notable wars began in Latin America, the War of the Pacific, between Peru and Bolivia against Chile.
On April 26 the New South Wales National Park is formed.
On May 2, in response to the establishment of the Carlist government in Spain, the Spanish Pablo Iglesias Posse and associates secretly founded the Spanish Socialist Workers Party.
A socialist and Marxist party that obviously opposes the conservative Carlism, which threatens the liberal reforms carried out by previous governments.
With Carlos VII the charters are reestablished, and measures are being approved for the restitution of regional laws and privileges within the Iberian Peninsula (for example the laws of the Catalan courts), rights of the church, etc.
The problem is obviously the Spanish Empire (or what's left of it ...).
Spain has re-established diplomatic ties with Russia, the United Kingdom, Germany, Italy, France and Austria-Hungary (basically the great powers) and other countries.
May 26, in eastern Afghanistan a British regiment is ambushed by the Afghans, resulting in the death of the British, although the Afghans do not escape without casualties.
This is just one of many clashes within Afghan territory between the Afghan 'rebels' and their British invaders.
June 1, assassination attempt of 1879.
Emperor Napoleon IV of the Second French Empire suffers an assassination attempt when a socialist rebel tries to shoot him, however out of a total of 5 shots, thanks to the guards, none hit the 23-year-old emperor.
The socialist is hanged that same day.
On June 21, Carl von Linde founded his chemical company.
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[Spain and Russia]
"Emperor Alexander III is interested in the possible relations between the Kingdom of Spain and Russia." Ambassador Mikhail Alexandrovich Gorchakov (son of the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Alexander Mikhailovich Gorchakov) started with the Spanish. "Russia is willing to make certain loans and sale of material for the Spanish reconstruction, but Tsar Alexander III has certain interests that he wants to discuss with his Majesty, King Carlos VII."
Mikhail Alexandrovich Gorchakov was two different people, in Russia he was an arrogant and mean person, who enjoyed disrespect in general, but could make the emperor laugh for such arrogance.
In Spain he however was extremely kind to King Carlos VII, too kind actually. He was appreciated by the new Carlist court during his stay.
This helped, since the government of Tsar Alexander III had an open and friendly policy with Spanish migrants to Russia, migrants who, despite the end of the Spanish civil war, did not stop arriving (they decreased somewhat, but did not stop).
In exchange for sums of Russian money, and industrial-agricultural material (in addition to humanitarian aid for the reconstruction of Spain), the Russian colonial Empire was interested in obtaining some of the Spanish territories.
More specifically in 'New Philippines', islands that correspond to 'Los Pintados' (Marshall Islands for the English), Palau and the Caroline Islands (named in honor of Carlos II of Spain, although its original name was Islands of the Sisters, Men Pintados and Los Jardines).
King Carlos VII doubted, he needed money, commercial partners and obviously to focus resources on more important areas (the great Philippines, Cuba, etc).
Spending resources on small islands could do more harm than good, but public opinion had to be addressed regarding the sale, etc.