Alexander II Flashcards
when did Alexander ii became tsar
1855
how were the tsars and the Orthodox Church intertwined
There was an Over-Procurator of the Holy Synod who was appointed by the tsar to run Church Affairs. Archbishops and bishops at the head of the church hierarchy were subject to Tsarist control over appointments, religious education, most of the churches finances and issues of administrations
who were the main advisory bodies for Alex ii about land
edicts (advisers and ministers)
his main advisory bodies were the Imperial Council or Chancellery (35 to 60 nobles) and the Council of Ministers
summarise what the role were of the council of ministers
ministers in charge of different government departments
what are the bureaucracy and state some issues surrouding them
a system of government in which most of the important decisions are taken by state officials rather than by elected representatives
it was riddled by internal corruption and incompetence
summarise the army in 1855
1.5 million conscripted serfs
serfs forced military service of 35 years
serfs made to live in a military colony
military made up 45% of the annual spending
what was the secret police called
Third Section
summarise the economic situation in 1855
agriculture based economy
severely behind in terms of the west
11:1 ratio of rural to urban life
what were the reasons for Russia’s economic backwardness in 1855
The territory was inhospitable (size and climate)
communications between the rest of Europe was poor
serf based economy
self-sufficiency (lack of trade)
what were the serf communes called
mir
summarise the social situation in 1855
division between the land-owning elite and serfs
no middle class
Intelligentsia
when did the Crimean War take place
1853-1855
give 3 reasons why Russia lost the Crimean War
outdated technology
poor transport
inadequate leadership
how many serfs were there in 1861
51 million
when were the serfs emancipated
1861
give 5 reasons why the serfs were emancipated
increase in peasant uprisings
inefficiencies in the Crimean War
pressure from ‘enlightened bureaucrats’ (Milyuitn brothers)
give 2 reasons why peasant uprisings increased in 1855
landowners pushing serfs to produce more
protests against military conscription during the Crimean War
summarise the Emancipation Edict 1861
1858-59 set off on a tour of the countryside making pro-emancipation speeches to try to win noble support
give 3 reasons why the serfs felt like they were cheated by the emacipation
unfair land allocations
substinence farming and technical backwardness persisted (50% of the population by 1878 were capable of producing a surplus)
redemption payments for 49 years
how benefited from the emancipation
kulaks
how organised the military
Milyutin
give 3 example of military reforms
conscription was made compulsory for all classes
conscription went from 25 years to 15 years
punishments were made less severe
military colonies were abandoned
modern weaponary was used and a new command structure was established
when was the Russo-Turkish war
1877-1878
summarise the local government reforms
zemstva was introduced, dominated by nobility, the role was to improve the public services, had no control over state and local taxes
summarise judiciary reforms
the new system was modelled on the west:
volost courts dealt with peasant cases
judges were appointed by the tsar
Local Justices of peace were elected every 3 years
courts were open to the public
