3 - Reactionary Policies

Question 1

Alexander II’s Reasons for Reaction

Answer 1

> 1865 his son & heir died, so spent less time with good influences
Reactionary conservatives warned the reforms weakened the nobility
1866-80 4 assassination attempts
1866 4 reformist ministers replaced with conservatives

Question 2

Education Post 1866
Under Alexander II

Answer 2

> Min of Edu = Tolstoy
Zemstvo’s power over education reduced & Church controlled rural schools
Traditional curriculum
Censorship tightened & student activities controlled
More state teacher training colleges set up to increase tsarist control

Question 3

Police, Law & Control Post 1866
Under Alexander II

Answer 3

> Shuvalov, Head of Third Section strengthened police & increased persecution of minorities
Searches & arrests increased, emergency powers, those that fled could be recalled to justice
Show trials aimed to deter revolutionary activity
Opposite happened = 1878 political crimes went to special secret courts

Question 4

Alexander II’s Pressures
Late 1870s

Answer 4

> Tried to reduce unrest with more democratic consultation
Count Loris-Melikov, Min of Internal Affairs, relaxed some restrictions, abolished Third Section, but set up the Okhrana
1880 Loris-Melikov Constitution recommended elected representation
1881 accepted by Alexander II, but assassinated same day

Question 5

Alexander III’s Influences & Initial Action

Answer 5

> Terrified of revolutionary activity
Influenced by tutor, Pobedonostsev, who believed in absolutism, nationalism & anti-semitism
Publicly hanged those involved in father’s assassination
Abandoned Loris-Melikov ideas
1881 “Manifesto of Unshakeable Autocracy” & law on Exceptional Measures

Question 6

Local Government
Under Alexander III

Answer 6

> Nobles reinstated to positions
1889 Land Captains. State appointed, could overpower zemstvo, responsible for rural law enforcement & gov
1890 zemstvo changes, peasant’s vote reduced & zemstvo under gov control
1892 Town Council changes. Mayor & councillors state employed, so directed by central gov, electorate reduced to property owners above a certain value

Question 7

Policing
Under Alexander III

Answer 7

> 1881-4 led by Plehve
1884+ led by Durnovo
Number of police increased with new investigation depts & spies
1882 Statute on Police Surveillance = could search, arrest, detain, question, imprison or exile if committed/likely to commit or related to/knew criminal

Question 8

Judicial System
Under Alexander III

Answer 8

> Alexander II’s reforms partly reversed
1885, 87 & 89 increased power to Min of Justice
1887 increased qualification requirements for jurors
1889 Volost put under jurisdiction of Land Captains (rural) & judges (towns)

Question 9

Education
Under Alexander III

Answer 9

> 1884 uni appointments needed education minister approval
Unis for women closed, uni life closely monitored
Lower class children restricted to primary education under Church control
1897 only 21% literate
Policies ran counter to their economic modernisation needs

Question 10

Other Reforms
Under Alexander III

Answer 10

> May 1881 Redemption fees reduced & arrears cancelled in central provinces
1883 Peasants land bank
May 1885 Poll tax abolished, inheritance tax introduced
Right of appeal to higher courts allowed
Some factory reforms