Flag of Derzhavist Russia 1929-2008
LORE UP TO 1939
In 1905, Nicholas II accepted the October Manifesto which made Russia into a constitutional monarchy like the German Empire was. The Russian Duma would come into control of the Progressist faction who prioritised transitioning Russia into a capitalist economy, with major emphasis on increasing the peasants power. This includes radical reform to the peasant bank system, investing in technical education and building a social safety net similar to the German Empire. Socialism was a growing movement in Russia, and the people in the Duma were willing to compromise in a similar fashion as their western neighbors did.
World War I came around and while Russia did not do perfect eventually they still proved her ability to show force in notable victories like in the Battle of Tannenberg Offensive. Germany would focus a lot more on the western front by 1915, seeing how an industrialising Russia is almost impossible to defeat in the short term. In 1917, shortly before the Americans joined the war the French fell to a civil war. Despite worrying about millions of new German troops from the west, Russia would have the central powers distracted with new American troops in the balkan, Ottoman, and Italian fronts and eventually find themselves winning by late 1918.
Just like every major power, Russia suffered immensely from the loss of human life and economic setback. 8 Billion rubles were owed to foreign powers and a crisis in the agriculture center ensued as grain prices fell throughout Europe. As the peasants often formed a conservative pro tsar bloc of influence, the government wanted to appease them. But this came at the cost of neglecting the urban sectors of the Empire, who felt like industrialization was the goal that should be prioritised the most. Some of these industrialists have seen the fast results of the Democratic Republic of Germany and French Commune, and wanted to replicate the Communist experiment at home. However some have become equally disillusioned with Marxism, and wanted something new. Some of these disillusioned people would include Boris Savinkov, a former Socialist who had previously moved from Paris following the second French Revolution.
He became spiteful of the materialistic and class struggle oriented worldview envisioned by Marxism. But he also felt like the current Tsarist system was weak. He felt like Russians were also being cheated by the traditional tsarist system. Savinkov had a worldview that the nation represents the people, and a strong all encompassing state would be its quintessential provider. Savinkov would also be skeptical of Christianity, preferring forms of Slavic Neo paganism, although he would be a lot more quiet on this issue to consolidate power among Orthodox Christians. His main priority for the meantime was that Russia was industrialising too slowly and could not catch up to the Communist West or America. He also was mad at resistant groups in Poland and Ukraine, and blamed the government for not restraining them. His worldview was reminiscent of Pan Slavism, and one where Russia was the central authority and protector. Allusions of a strong united pre Christian slavic civilization would be used in political messaging and mythology.
His worldviews being unique at the time, he coined his views as “Derzhavaism”, coming from Russian Term “derzhava”, meaning great power or state. He would create his party in 1921, and would gain lots of support for dissatisfied people of the rising Urban class who also couldn't support Communism. In 1928, 2 events would happen in the same year which would help consolidate the Dershavists into power. One of them was the burning of the Duma, which was blamed on Communists although some suspect the Derzhavists of doing it themselves. Then came the 1928 Stock Market Crash, crippling an Economy which was dependent on foreign credit. Deflationary policies like a decrease in lending would result in millions becoming unemployed, and with conditions already benignly bad in the cities people were angry once again. The Derzhavists eventually got a majority in parliament in the 1929 election, compared to around 20 percent of seats for the 1925 election. The first of the Derzhavist's policies would be to completely restrict the Monarch's authority. The Tsar went from having a significant role in politics to an irrelevant figurehead. Boris Savinkov, calling himself the “Vozhd” or “Great Leader” wanted a state centralized on himself and his goals. He also wants to pirotize technological and industrial progress as his goals.
In the past 10 years, he has permanently shifted Russia. During the early years, his main goal was making sure Russia dealt with the depression. He started investing in industrial projects, railroads, industrial cities, etc. Boris Savinkov also bought a new model of thinking which was unseen since the 19th century, Georgism. While not following the libertarian-esque original form, what Savinkov did instead was implement a Land Value Tax and lowered taxes on other forms of capital. Land would be taxed based on its economic potential, so speculative holding wasn't as seen as advantageous. This was very good in providing productivity and efficiency, as companies want to make as much profit with as little land as possible.
Boris Savinkov would encourage private competition in consumer goods while keeping state control of the Primary/Resource based economy. By the late 1930s, automobiles, radios, and appliances were becoming the norm in major Russian centers. Russia's economy has also been oriented towards a military based economy, especially as the threat from a rapidly armed Germany and France was becoming ever more real. While the land value tax affected the rural areas, especially the old land owning aristocratic class, the government also promoted cooperatives, rural electrification and equipment to make agriculture more efficient. By this time, large investments were also made in the scientific sector, going as far as investments in nuclear physics.
Domestically, Savinkov would prove to be a very authoritarian leader. He would abolish previously held autonomy for Bukhara, Finland, Poland and others to centralize the Russian State. By 1931 he would ban all opposition parties, consolidating his control in the process. He would focus on a policy of russification, which was meant with further resistance but the stronger military made resistance to be futile. Jews would be targeted as part of Savinkov's policies, often being subjected to way harsher pogroms than in pre WW1 Russia, with hundreds of thousands already leaving for either countries part of the Abeiterpakt or US/United Kingdom. Russia also became skeptical of the old entente, especially Britain.
Now, with tensions at its highest, it is unknown where history will take the Russian Empire and Savinkov. With enemies surrounding it its clear that if Savinkov was to survive he would need to be the last one standing.