The social, economic, and political conditions in Russia before 1905 were underdeveloped compared to the present time. The following are the key points describing the conditions in Russia at the beginning of the 20th century:

Social Conditions:

• About 85% of the Russian population was engaged in agriculture.
• There were some privately owned industries. Workers moved from villages to cities to work in factories.
• Financially, the situation was bad. Wages fell by 20%, and prices of essential goods were very high, which led to the St. Petersburg strike.
• This strike and a series of other events took the form of the Revolution of 1905.
• Various associations were formed during this period demanding the establishment of a Constituent Assembly.
• In Russia, it was illegal to form a political party before 1914.
• In 1898, the Russian Social Democratic Workers’ Party was founded by socialists who respected Marxs ideas.

Economic Conditions:

• About 85% of the population in the Russian empire trusted agriculture within the beginning of the 20th century.
• Cultivators cultivated crops for their own needs, and Russia was also a significant exporter of grains.
• Moscow and St. Petersburg were the prominent industrial centers.
• When foreign investment increased within the industries and when the Russian railway network expanded, many factories were founded within the 1890s.
• Iron and steel output quadrupled, and coal production doubled. Craftsmen and factory workers were almost equal in number, in some areas, within the 1900s.

Political Conditions:

• Political parties were illegal before 1914.
• The Russian Social Democratic Workers’ Party was founded in 1898 by socialists who respected Marxs ideas.
• Large property was owned by the Orthodox Church, crown, and nobility.
• Peasants were deeply religious.
• Position and power were earned by nobles not through their local popularity but through their services and to the Tsar.

In summary, the social, economic, and political conditions in Russia before 1905 were characterized by a large population engaged in agriculture, a few privately owned industries, and a bad financial situation. Political parties were illegal, and power was centralized in the hands of the nobles. The economic situation was improving, with the growth of industries and factories, but the working conditions were still miserable.