How was life in Russia different from that of its allies and other nations in Europe?

The Russian Empire included many different nationalities and only 40 per cent of the population spoke Russian as their first language during the first half of the 20th century. Besides, around the 80 percent of Russia's population were peasants who lived in communes in dreadful conditions. Famine and starvation were common as well as the life expectancy of a peasant farmers was only 40 years of age. In addition, there was no basic education in Russia, and very few peasants could read or write. As oil, iron and coal production started to increase, some peasants left the land to work in the new industries in the cities, but at low payments and long periods of working hours.