The cavalry's refusal to fire broke which basic dependence of Tsarism?

Correct answer: Dependence on army obedience for state repression

The governing concept is the role of military obedience in sustaining an autocratic state. A regime can use orders to suppress demonstrations only when soldiers are willing to carry them out. When cavalrymen refused to fire, the state’s coercive instrument became unreliable, and demonstrators gained confidence. This weakened a practical foundation of Tsarist authority and helped the revolution advance. The issue was not agricultural production, foreign trade or Church education. Those may relate to broader society, but none explains why refusal to shoot directly challenged the regime’s immediate power. Therefore option A is correct.