Alexander II interpretations Flashcards
How Liberal was the Russian gov 1855 to 1881 ? 2 debates
tsar liberator or only made concessions to gain support
tsar liberator zmestva + education
1864 zemstva work in education 1855 55% illiterate – 8,000 to 23,000 primary schools
tsar liberator
1861 emancipation – 23 million
concessions to win support zemstvo
1864 creation zemstvo divert attention from reformist nobility demand for reform
concessions to win support peasants uprising
712 peasant uprising 1826 to 1854 – grant concession to intelligentsia – lessen social + political threat posed = ulterior motive
concessions to win support - zemstva limitations
no control over taxes + appointment officials – 1914 43/70 provinces provincial assembly
concessions to win support populists - actions
15000 populist ‘go to ppl’ arrested - annoyed against lack of land + taxes
concessions to win support - populist - repercussions
1877 trial of 193 populists – spread propaganda against Russian gov
To what extent did reforms made by Alexander II improve the status of the Russian peasants? - 2 debates
state Russian peasant improve or do not improve
state russian peasant improve - nobility land reduce by
1905 land owned by nobility reduce by 40%
state russian peasant improve skl
1864 – zemstvo control schools 8,000 to 23,000 primary skls
state russian peasant improve - urban migration
peasants migrate to cities + form ‘aristocracy of labour’ – special skills offered as teams (‘artels’)
state russian peasant no improve - no change emancipation
49 yr redemption payments
-lose 4.9% of prev land holding
state russian peasant no improve - mir connection
peasants remain answering to mir – mir forces subsistence farming ( no surplus) therefore no incentive to improve land + working conditions
state russian peasant no improve - Tolstoy exam system
Tolstoy manipulates exam system so only noble children in uni 3500 in 6 unis
state russian peasant no improve - agriculture / counter urban migration point
80% population dependent on agriculture – rural society
state russian peasant no improve - polish uprising
1863 Jan Polish uprising – upset not emancipated
How Far were Alexander II’s reforms due to the Crimean War
crimea war causation or correlation
crime war = reform - milyutin reform
Milyutin reforms due to military failure – jan 1874 – military conscription for all social classes not just peasantry
crimea war = reform - industry
industrial development accelerated by Crimea
crimea war = reform - death toll
220,000 russian death but 21,000 british - death toll limits economy dependent on low skilled labour -
crimea war not reform - railway demand
growing industry e.g. railway routes – trans Siberia – demands more labour – serfdom needed to be abolished
crimea war not reform - Alex II tutor
population pressure on subsistence farming
-Alex II tutor – Zhukovksy – romantic poet – liberalism
Crimea war not reform - climate
1853 – met with nobility to discuss serfdom
-Russian climate could not depend on agriculture – need industrialisation for stability –
crimea war not reform compare Britain railways
1860s Britain 15,000km train + russia 1,600km
debate 4 - how far were national minority issues neglected
yes or no
neglected national minority issues - Poland
Tsar’s rejection of Polish concessions from Wielpolski proposed acceptance of tsar dynasty - 1863 rebellion = poles desire for independence
neglected national minority issues - milyutin plan
countered w/ repression
Alex II Ukraine
1876 commission to investigate separatist activity
Alex II - jews
merchant + doctors jews live outside pale
what did Alex II reject in Poland
wielpolski demand for polish liberties e.g. semi independent gov
example fo Alex II harsh treatment poles
396 executed after uprising
when was serfdom abolished in Poland + why
1864 to punish nobility for involvement in rebellion
Alex II treatment of Finland
1863 russia diet - increase reforms -
Alex II Central Asia expansion
significant expansion
when did Alex II remove glasnost
1866
