Question by A A: What specific changes did Grigori Rasputin make to the Russian government?
I’ve searched numerous book sources and web sites, but none go into specifics. From what I have now, he made detrimental changes to the Russian government in the stead of the Empress while Tsar Nicholas was away at the Eastern Front. But I want to know EXACTLY what he did. Any help?
Answers and Views:
Answer by JosF
None at all, because Rasputin was not involved in government. He was PRIVATELY asked to cure the crown prince. He wielded some influence over the Czarina, but only indirect. And he certainly didn’t sleep with her!
The crown prince suffered from hemophilia. Rasputin had a gift of soothing and calming people. He was asked to look after the crown prince. That was actually applying quack medication by a quack. Rasputin was a kind of ‘healing’ monk. But not a saintly monk. He humped anything (m/f) that moved and was willing. When he wasn’t drunk, that is.
His influence is vastly overestimated. He did have some influence on the Czarina, but the Czarina was not ‘in the chain of command’. So his influence would be indirect on someone who had indirect influence.
Read all the answers in the comments.
What do you think?
chana devora says
As the author of a book on Rasputin, I can tell you, he did not make any changes to government, but he certainly had opinions and made suggestions about potential Cabinet Ministers… even when the Tsar was there. Rasputin had three primary agendas: he was anti-war or violence of any kind; he wanted the peasants to be closer to the Tsar (without the nobility in between); and he wanted the oppressed Jews accorded equal rights.
Rasputin was not the man the anti-Semitic aristocracy labeled a demon. Russia had many laws restricting Jews – regarding their education, occupations, and where they could live. The military, with the Tsar’s knowledge and consent, often conducted raids on Jewish villages (in the ghetto most were confined to), torturing and slaughtering entire families at a time.
Rasputin was horrified by this and often requested that the Tsar accord the Jews equal rights. But, like most other Russians at that time, the Tsar vehemently hated Jews. So, Russian society and the clergy, as well as many bureaucrats, went on a smear campaign to tarnish his reputation as much as they could. Another reason they did this was because he was against Russia spilling the blood of her citizens needlessly, in wars. Their smear campaign became accepted as history. If you look at newspaper cartoons of that time, you’ll notice that Rasputin was drawn the same way Jews were – looking ugly, demonic, filthy and greedy. Such devices were used to sway public opinion. Any attempts at peace or helping Jews was considered treasonous.
The Cabinet Ministers who Rasputin proposed were people who told him they would try to help the Jewish cause and promote peace. He was influential in having several people appointed, but once they were in office, they didn’t have the courage to go against the Tsar’s brutal policies. The changes he wanted to make were not detrimental to the majority of Russian citizens – but were favorable to them. They were only threatening to the nobility who wanted to continue living a life of luxury on the backs of an abused, oppressed, overworked and underfed population.
John P says
Indeed no specific changes. He was a large part of the fevered atmosphere around the Russian court, as he had influence over the Tsarina because of his ability to calm the Tsarevitch in his haemophiliac episodes. Just before the beginning of the war he actually made a good suggestion to the Tsar – “Don’t get involved”. After that it was downhill all the way! It was all about atmosphere and influence.