Alexander II Flashcards
What problems did Russia face?
Only 10% of the land was farmable
45% of the population was Russian
Amount of neighbours
What were the advantages Russia had?
Transsiberian railway
Raw materials
Hard to invade
Key principles of Russia
Autocracy
Orthodoxy
Nationality
What was the social makeup of Russia
77% peasantry
1% nobility
0.5% clergy
OTHER (as of 1897)
Why was Russia politically backwards?
Autocratic No parties Noble control Secret police Conscription
Why was Russia economically backwards?
Winter effects farming Backwards methods No demand for consumer goods Poor communications Poor banking system
Why was Russia socially backwards?
50m serfs 800,000 industrial workers no demand for development social hierarchy 3500 university students
Who were the nobility?
1% of population who owned 25% of land
75% had less than 100 serfs, so couldnt afford a lavish lifestyle
Moving to cities
Had positions in army or government
Who were the middle class
Small group due to little industry Businessmen and entrepreneurial class didn't develop until later 1800s Professional class of doctors and lawyers, who lived good lifestyles
Who were the peasants
90% were peasants in mid 1800s, mostly farmers
Half of which were serfs, who had few liberties and has to work 3 days a week, often unpaid, for their noble.
Nobles were their police. Domestic servants had no land or gained no profit
State peasants had larger landholdings, were legally free and could get jobs in factories. However, they also faced travel restrictions.
Kulaks gained money be hiring workers and buying more land
Most were illiterate
After a bad harvest, they would die from starvation (1891 - 400,000) and epidemics (e.g. Typhus)
Who were the workers?
Extent of work was spinning mills and mining iron in the Urals
Most industry took place in cottages and small workshops, where they also lived
Small proportion of the population
Some also lived in shared rooms in tenement blocks and barrack style buildings next to their factory.
What was the state of religion?
There had been no reformation.
There was a divide between the mainstream Russian Orthadox and the Old Believers.
Tsar was God’s lieutenant on Earth, and 70% of the population was Russian Orthadox.
There were 100,000 clerics who had considerable influence over peasantry
Priests lived alongside the Peasants, so understood and were involved in their struggles
The Church was their main news source.
What was the state of the army?
Largest in Europe. Conscription of villagers for 25 years to avoid too much unrest.
The recruits were subservient to officers, had few rights (e.g. couldn’t enter a restaurant), had low wage, and grew their own food.
They had to defend Russian borders and put down riots.
Cossacks could be relied on, they were immensely loyal to the Tsar and were from the Don area.
How bad was life as a Serf?
\+some masters educated their serfs \+domestic serfs had it easier \+Paternalistic Benevolence -absenteeism -illiterate -poor -noble was their only authority -bad living conditions -could be sold -no freedom -harsh punishments: exile to Siberia
Who was the Mir?
The village commune. Decided land distribution, and there was a hierarchy of age (so it used traditional methods, and was outdated)
Reasons for abolishing serfdom?
Crimean War Alexander's views Politics Economy Morality
How did the Crimean War influence the emancipation?
Russia experienced a humiliating defeat in the Crimea (1853-56)
-Showed insufficient military
-Disrupted trade
-Caused uprisings
-Treaty of Paris 1856 decreased Russia’s influence in Black Sea
General Milyutin knew the army needed modernisation.
The Party of Progress led by Grand Duke Constantine pressured change.
How did Alexander’s views influence the emancipation?
He saw Russia’s problems firsthand through travel and serving on a committee on serfdom.
He was mindful against radical change.
He was surrounded by liberals like Nicholas Milyutin and Grand Duke Constantine.
1856: announced emancipation would happen, it must to avoid CHANGE FROM BELOW
How did politics influence the emancipation?
New political thought had began to emerge.
Peasant unrest increased leading up to Crimean War when landowners treid increasing production (300 risings)
Nobles were relying on Peasants, the economy would benefit by them putting their skills to work.
How did the economy influence the emancipation?
Serfdom prevented the movement of Peasants to factories, and limited the accumulation of capital that could increase production and demand.
No incentive for peasants to develop land as they didn’t own it
Russia’s population had doubled, so there was famine.
Nobles were taking out mortgages to keep afloat (1855: R54m in debt)
