Before 1905, Russia's social, economic, and political situation was as follows. a) Social Conditions: Russian Orthodox Christianity, which arose from the Greek Orthodox Church, was the majority religion. Catholics, Protestants, Muslims, and Buddhists were all part of the empire. Non-Russian nations did not get the same treatment as Russian nationals. They were denied the right to practise their culture and speak their own tongue. On the basis of skill and training, workers were separated into groups. Peasants organised themselves into communes or mirs. (b) Economic conditions: Agriculturists made up the majority of Russians. Grain was Russia's most important export. There were few industries. St Petersburg and Moscow were major manufacturing centres. Craftsmen handled a large portion of the production. Along with the artisan workshops, there were enormous industries. Foreign investment in manufacturing increased as the Russian rail network expanded. Massive amounts of coal, iron and steel were produced. Factory workers and craftspeople were in equal numbers. Capitalists exploited the workers and made their lives difficult. (c) Political conditions: Russia was a monarchy at the time. (Tsar Nicholas II governed Russia and its empire, which included what is now Finland, Latvia, Lithuania, Estonia, Poland, Ukraine, and Belarus.) It spanned the Pacific Ocean and included today's Central Asian countries, as well as Georgia, Armenia, and Azerbaijan. The Tsars believed in rulers' divine rights. They were not accountable to the legislature. In Russia, all political parties were outlawed.