3) The Autocracy of Alexander II and Alexander III Flashcards
Reasons for Alexander II’s reactionary policies after 1866
1863 Polish Revolt was armed uprising against Tsarist rule (nationalities pushing for independence) ⚔️.
1865 AII’s eldest son ☠️ + Tsarina ill ➡️ AII spent more time w/ mistress, less time w/ liberal relatives (Grand Duke Konstantin).
1866-1880🔫4 assassination attempts on AII ➡️ AII tired of ⬆️ demands of radicals against autocracy caused by reforms.
Conservatives thought reforms too far, weakening Church + nobility (Tsar’s main support)➡️pressured AII to stop + reverse reforms.
⛔️AII wanted to stop malcontent by adopting more repressive policy ➡️ 1866 replaced 4 reformist ministers w/ conservatives, liberal ministers lost influence in govt.
Alexander II and reaction in education
Tolstoy = new reactionary Minister of Education.
⬇️ zemstva’s power over education.
Returned Church authority over rural schools.
Traditional classical subjects favoured over modern subjects, science even withdrawn from some schools (T believed revolution originated in unis in sciences)🧑🏻🔬🚫.
Entry to uni restricted to those w/ classical education (mostly nobles).
Ministry inspectors appointed teachers + kept eye on moral views conveyed by teacher.
Censorship tightened + student activity controlled. Disciplinary functions transferred to police👮🏻♂️.
Students with revolutionary views or involved in revolutionary activities expelled.
Alexander II and reaction in police, law and control
Shuvalov = new head of Third Section.
Strengthened police, searches + arrests ⬆️.
⬆️ persecution of ethnic + religious minorities.
1878 political crimes transferred to special secret courts (not open to reporting).
Closed some periodicals🗞.
⬆️ rule by decree.
Arguments for Alexander II still being liberal after 1866
1870 local govt reforms extended to towns + cities.
Military reforms continued.
1st women admitted to Moscow Uni 1872👩🏻🎓.
Alexander II’s death 1881 ⚰️
AII on way to establish new constitution to ⬇️ unrest, but got bombed by People’s Will who demanded a representative assembly (didn’t realise that AII was already going to do this)💣.
AIII refused - didn’t want to make same mistakes as AII.
He publicly hanged members of People’s Will + made 10,000 arrests in response to AII’s assassination.
How did Alexander III represent unshakeable autocracy?
AIII strongly influenced by his tutor, Pobendonovstev - v conservative, believed in autocracy + nationalism.
1881 ‘Manifesto of Unshakeable Autocracy’ rejected AII’s reforms inc National Assembly + reinstated R as autocratic (written by P).
1881 Statute of State Security ⬆️ state powers to stop revolutionaries (‘temporary’ measures lasted until 1917):
(meetings 12+ people banned, schools/unis/newspapers promoting revolutionary values shut down, if suspected of revolutionary views could be arrested + executed w/o trial, couldn’t discuss govt policy critically, special courts outside legal system)
Alexander III’s policies in local government
1889 role of Land Captains reinstated nobles’ authority. State-appointed. Responsible for law enforcement👮🏻♂️+ govt in countryside. Could overrule court decisions + remove peasant officials.
1890 Zemstva Act ⬇️ independence of zemstva + placed zemstva under central govt control. Central govt interfered or stifled local initiatives. Provincial governors could veto/amend zemstva decisions. Peasants’ vote ⬇️🗳.
1892 Municipal Govt Act ⬇️ electorate to benefit richer property owners (0.7% pop. could vote in Moscow + St Petersburg)🗳. Municipal councils directed by central govt.
Alexander III’s policies in policing
1881 new secret police created, Okhrana - recruited thousands of informers + agents to penetrate revolutionary groups + uncover plots🕵🏻.
1882 Statute on Police Surveillance - police could declare any citizen subject to surveillance. 👮🏻♂️ could search, arrest, question, imprison or exile anyone they suspected of committing a crime or knowing someone who had⛓.
Alexander III’s policies in the judicial system
Govt ⬇️ scope of offences subject to legal system to centralise power.
Decrees in 1885, 1887 + 1889 gave greater power to Ministry of Justice.
Ministry of Justice could order trial to be held in private.
Many judges appointed directly from Ministry of Justice.
1887 property + educational qualifications needed by jurors ⬆️.
1889 Justices of Peace abolished, judicial functions passed to Land Captains.
Alexander III’s policies in education
1884 University Statute put strict controls on unis. ⬇️ their autonomy + student freedom. Uni staff appointed by Minister of Education.
Uni courses for women closed👩🏻🎓🚫.
Church more control over primary education⛪️.
Fees in secondary schools ⬆️ to exclude low-class students💴.
1897 only 21% pop literate📝.
Impact of Alexander III’s counter-reform and positive change
Impact: ⬆️ central govt control over local matters. Restored influence of nobility.
✅1881 redemption payments ⬇️ + debts in central provinces cancelled💸.
✅1885 poll tax abolished + inheritance tax introduced, shifting tax burden away from lowest classes💸.
✅1883 Peasants’ Land Bank set up - peasants can take out loans to buy land💸.
✅1885 Nobles’ Land Bank set up.
✅Some reformist factory legislation introduced🏭.
