Alexander II opposition Flashcards
What does nihilism mean?
The belief that all values are baseless and that nothing can be known or communicated
What does anarchism mean?
The belief in self-governed institutions; the State is considered unnecessary or harmful
Moderate liberal opposition
Size and influence of modern intelligentsia grew with reforms and economic changes
Some intelligentsia went for ideas such as anarchism and nihilism others were Westerners and Slavophils
Moderate Liberal opposition: Westerners
Zemstva provided natural home for Westernising liberal opposition as local decision making encouraged ppl to thing more nationally
Wanted to reform autocracy under Alex II but didn’t get chance to as tsar died
Once Alex III restricted zemstva powers, westerners disappointed in 1890
Modern Liberal opposition: Slavophils
Wanted a superior “Russian’ path to a better future
Attraction of Slavophils diminished after peaking in 1881 as country industrialised so western-style socialism began to take root
What happened when socialism started to take root?
Split intelligentsia some more socialist/ Marxist and others held moderate liberal stance
Radical opposition
developed among younger gen. who wanted to go further than their parents
Inc. nihilism and populism
Radical opposition: nihilism
Blamed for disturbances in St. Petersburg in 1862 and marked beginning of radical streak
‘The Organisation’ was set up in 1863 calling for more reforms in Moscow Uni
Radical opposition: populism
Offshoot of nihilism, lots of peasant support
Wanted a constituent assembly and land-redistribution to peasantry
Would ‘go to the people’ were they would go to peasants and even dress and talk like them but peasants were hostile and even got them arrested
What was ‘Land and Liberty’?
Populist movement set up in 1877 where members would work in peasant communes as doctors, teachers etc. (in a less destructive way than populists)
Gained public sympathy and zemstva put more pressure on tsar to reform
Killed head of third section
In 1879 what did ‘Land and Liberty’ split into?
Two groups:
Black Repartition
The People’s Will
Who were the Black Repartition?
St Petersburg organsiation, headed by Plekhanov
Wanted to share black soil provinces of Russia among peasants and worked peacefully along side them
Weakened by arrests in 1880 and many turned to Marxism
Who were the People’s Will?
Led by Mikhailov
Bigger than Black Partition, advocated violent methods + assassinations
Killed Alex II
