The condition was favourable for few and worse for many .Majority of the Russia’s population was agriculturist.Though Industries were there but sporadically present. Many of the industries were owned by private owners. People migrated to cities from villages for employment especially for work in industries .The industrial sector met with many strikes especially in the textiles industry in 1896-97 and also in the the metals industry in 1902.
Political parties were considered to be illegal before 1914. One of the Russian parties called as Social Democratic Workers’ Party (1898) was also considered to be illegal. The socialists had a belief that peasants were “natural socialists” in the policy of equitable distribution of wealth. Those who belonged to Bolsheviks wing especially under Lenin wanted a disciplined group, and were not pro farmers.There was difference of opinion that Bolsheviks believed in controlling the number and also the quality of its members, the Mensheviks had a belief that the party should be open to all.
Regarding economic conditions, 1904 was considered to be a bad year for the workers. In this period rise in prices of essential goods,was witnessed like real wages decreased by 20%, that in turn lead to the famous St.Petersburg strike .In this strike some 110,000 workers protested, their demand was reduction in work hours and also increase in wages. It gave rise to many events that are together known as the 1905 Revolution. Many strikes all over the country also universities were closed down, and also various professionals and workers established the Union of Unions, demanding the establishment of a constituent assembly.