Just some notes about Russia and the world (October-December, 1892

Anti-Semitism]

The situation of anti-Semitism in Russia was complicated, it was still notable but there were certain currents opposing this situation, either Tsar Alexander III himself and some members of the administration (of Jewish origin or with some relation to the Jewish population), businessmen Jews and writers.

The writings of the late Ben-Yehuda were a good step to focus the readers' sights, not on the Jews and their troubles, but on a "common enemy" or at least something that offended the Russians (in this case the French treatment to a Russian citizen, not explicitly to a Jew ... although the fact that Ben-Yehuda was a Jew was the main cause).

But he was not the only one, there was a growing community of Jewish artists and publishers, who were on the one hand an example for the Jewish and non-Jewish population about the joint potential and the possibility of coexistence and sometimes some were related to the government (the Tsar Alexander III being a patron of artists), thus fighting against more systematic anti-Semitism.

There were also publishers who raised awareness about Jewish issues and the need for change, of course the most anti-government speeches were censored (less related to Judaism and more to the Russian police state) but with the elimination of pogroms, and defending Jewish property, such discourses among the Jewish community were less and less radical.

For example, there was the magazine "Jewish Notes", a magazine about the problems of the Jewish community and the fight against anti-Semitism in the Alexandrian period after the reforms.

Jewish Notes didn't have the budget or reader base to be weighty, but it was perfect for the Alexandrian government, few 'radical' positions after the Alexandrian reforms.

So with a little help from the government behind it, Jewish Notes became more and more popular than other more radical magazines among the Jewish community, especially among young people born in the Alexandrian period (as opposed to old men who were not born or raised in the Alexandrian period).

Jewish Notes also began to attract curious non-Jewish readers, after all literacy was increasing so any reading material was somewhat welcome.

The fight against anti-Semitism was slow and difficult, but it had certain successes.

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However, with the popularity (in Russia) of Ben-Yehuda's writings, a certain anti-French sentiment also grew among some members of Russian society.

It did not translate into attacks on the French-Russian population (most opposed to the Boulanger regime) but now the Russians simply had more reason to have feelings against France than Napoleon Bonaparte (the first one).

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[Five Arrows: Namibia]

Russian Namibia continued to grow, as the Russian authorities control some of the richest sections of water (and with the capacities to extract and harness it) the independence of the natives becomes more complicated, because the Russians now have a very valuable resource with the to negotiate.

Russian diplomacy between disparate tribes to control, building infrastructure, and training loyal citizens among native populations also assisted.

However Namibia was primarily a resource extraction colony and commercial ports (Walvis Bay), there were farmers, people who wanted to get away from the government, and miners.

Before this, certain other investments had to come, such as fishing or tourism. Fishing continued to grow as a business of ports and coastal settlements with relative success, while similar to other policies of the Alexandrian period, some hotels and nature reserves were established where one could spend money.

The first to do so were some wealthy with too much free time, and some British-South African like Cecil Rhodes (all within the legal realm, any British interest in taking the colony in any way would be denied by Tsar Alexander III).

Between business with the English, Portuguese and Germans (trade partners of Russia and more specifically of the Russian Nambia), a strange event occurred ...

Nobody wanted a certain geographic ledge in northern Namibia, through which the Okavango River runs. The Russians and Portuguese also had no interest in the region, blocked from advantageous commercial access due to Victoria Falls, and the British had no effective management position, but there were already Russian settlers and tribes loyal to Russia on the Namibian border (defense from the colony).

So the region was simply ceded to Russia internationally, which the Russians simply called the Namibian Strip.

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[Five Arrows: Kamerun]

While Namibia obtained its strange territory, the Russian Kamerun began its expansion into the jungle, of course the use of Slavic-European or white settlers, was very difficult due to jungle diseases.

However, the colonization was not exactly led by waves of settlers, it was led mainly by Africans raised and trained by Russian institutions (diplomats, soldiers and priests) to colonize or buy the territories from the natives (in the worst case if violence occurred, the force of the militia would be used, but it was not something that Tsar Alexander III took as a first option).

Loyal natives who already had certain natural defenses to disease did not get along with all natives not trained by Russia (ancient tribal conflicts) but that served Russian purposes.

A native population in conflict with itself is more likely to remain subject to the economic, administrative and military control led by Russia and allies.

The objective of the conquest of the jungle was to reach some northern territories, and to create outposts, military defenses for the colony and the infrastructure that was possible (roads) for the extraction of resources.

That at the grassroots level, but there were also the efforts of the government and the church that would help, incentivize churches, orphanages and schools that would develop the necessary infrastructure and loyal population that Russia aspired to.

Meanwhile the competition continued, there was an exodus of some Polish capitalists to Kamerun, and the Russians responded with the same exodus.

It was mainly confined to the coasts with fewer diseases, but these investors also promoted the idea of the need to conquer the north of Kamerun (less jungle territory in which to establish settlements).

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[Luxury industries]

With the popularity of the Savoy hotel, a number of hotels and similar luxury industries were growing in Russia, on the one hand there was the state that divided travel by rail or ship into First Class, Second Class and Third Class (as opposed to other countries where there were only First and Third because the second was eliminated) and on the other there were the new capitalists of Russia forming their own businesses.

Internal tourism (Russian citizens traveling) and external (foreigners traveling to the country) from Russia were growing, and quite due to various reasons, which increased capitalist interest in these businesses.

For example, within Russia there were merchandise and sports, the Russian Soccer Leagues made fans travel through Russian cities, there were tourist attractions for nature lovers, religious pilgrims, for the whole family and especially children, and wonders that attracted foreigners (tourist, natural, sports sites or the repair / customization of a Romanov car, etc).

A luxury Russian hotel followed the standards of the Russian nobility and culture of the Alexandrian era, music, dance, artistic performances, expensive food, ostentation, etc.

Regarding travel, Russia had more than 60,000 kilometers of railways (64,403 in the 1890s today), one of the main methods of transportation but also through the connections of the Russian river system.

In short, there were many ways to travel and much to see in which rich people with a long time could spend their money, while things got complicated some members of the Brazilian oligarchies (Imperial and republican ones) moved their money or traveled to parts of Europe, some of them (especially "republican" oligarchs) spent or kept their money in Russia.

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[International]

On October 12, on the 400th anniversary of Columbus Day, the "Pledge of Allegiance" is carried out in unison by most public schools in the United States of America.

A few weeks later, on October 30, the Spanish open the Historical American Exposition in Madrid, to celebrate this event of historical importance.

November 2, an attack against Kaiser Franz II (Franz Ferdinand) occurs in Bohemia by some Czechs unhappy with the current form of the Austro-Hungarian government.

Of course nothing happens, but many conservative Austro-Hungarians take advantage of this to attack Kaiser Franz II's attempts at Trilist reform.

The fight between Austrians and Hungarians against Slavs (and other minorities without much political power) continues. It must be borne in mind that there are also fights between the Austrians and the Hungarians, since the death of Kaiser Rudolf I they are in more and more conflicts, and the new Kaiser Franz II does not help political stability with the anti-Hungarian visions of he.

On November 8, the United States elections take place between Grover Cleveland (Democratic candidate), Benjamin Harrison (Republican candidate) and James B. Weaver (Populist candidate, People's Party).

The Grange, the Farmers' Alliances, and the Knights of Labor rallied around Weaver, but obviously with the American system, one tencer candidate had little chance of winning a presidential victory.

This election again focuses on economic issues, with Republicans attacking Democratic tariffs and Democrats attacking Republican tariffs, and the gold standard (supported by Cleveland) or bimetallic (supported by Harrison and Weaver).

Finally Cleveland wins with 46% of the votes and superiority in the electoral colleges, Harrison with 44% and Weaver with 10% of the popular vote.

The elections do not start very well, in addition, in New Orleans a week-long general strike begins.

On the same day in Paris, a bomb planted by Anarchists and Marxists kills a large part of the officers of the police station on Avenue de l'Opéra, Paris.

This alerts the Boulangerist regime and various foreign observers.

Structurally speaking this is another positive act for Boulangerism ... in architecture, the Avenue de l'Opéra was part of the Parisian reforms during Napoleon III, but now they can be transformed to the new style of Boulanger and Napoleon IV's "Ville Impériale" .

November 17, the French Colonial Empire expands across Benin and Chad (pointing across the desert to isolated Sudan).

This continues with the precedents of European colonial expansion, supported by capitalism for cheap land, resources and labor.

In particular the idea sells among the British to obtain another ally in a future fight against Sudan (a threat to British interests), but Boulanger does not fully support the idea ...

Because France had its own interests in Sudan, and Boulangisme was also aimed not only at Italian Tunisia, but also at the possibility of regaining voice and vote in Suez (after all it was built by French capital).

December 5, John Thompson becomes Prime Minister of Canada.

December 18, the ballet The Nutcracker opens in Saint Petersburg, Russia, with music performed by Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky.

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[Russian Soccer League: Final.]

The 7th edition of the Russian Soccer League ends in the match Baku vs Saint Petersburg, with the victory of the Baku team over the Saint Petersburg team by 3 to 2.

There is something curious, in honor of the victory of Baku and as the eighth edition will be held in Baku, Tsar Alexander III ordered a new tradition, the performance of a particular song.

'Merry Azerbaijan' was performed (created) and selected as the official song of the 8th edition of the Russian Soccer League in 1896.