Alexander II reforms Flashcards
Who was responsible for military reforms
Dmitry milyutin
Conscription made compulsory to who? how long did they have to serve for?
All classes including nobles from the age of 21, but the length of service was reduced from 25 to 15.
What was done to military punishments?
Made less severe and the systems of military colonies abandoned, better provisioning and medical care was also est.
What did Milyutin do to the weaponry and command structure.
Modernised it.
Limitations of Milyutin’s military reforms.
better-off people found substitutes to serve in their place, while the officer class remained largely aristocratic, the problems of supply and leadership continued. the army struggled to win the war against Turkey and, in the longer term, was defeated at the hands of the Japanese 1904-05 and again by Germany 1914-17.
What are the zemstvos and why were they set up?
to replace the rights and obligations of the former serf-owning gentry. A system of elected local councils, both at district and provincial levels. they were known as the zemstvo.
What power did the zemstvo have over?
The zemstvo were given power to improve public services (roads, schools, public health, prisons), develop industrial projects and administer poor relief in times of hardship.
What did the creation of the zemstvo raise hope of?
The est. of a degree of representative government at a local level raised the hopes of those members of the intelligentsia who anted a representative National Assembly. However, the power of the zemstvo was strictly limited. They had no control over taxes. Provincial governors continued to appoint officials, took responsibility for law and order, and could even overturn zemstvo decisions if they chose,
When were the liberal local government reforms under Alexander II?
1864-70.
When did Dmitry Milyutin introduce his local government reforms?
1874-5
When were the judiciary reforms under Alexander II introduced?
1864
Describe the judicial reforms/
- Equality before the law was created with a single system of local, provincial and national courts. The accused were presumed innocent until proven guilty and could employ a lawyer to defend themselves.
- Criminal cases were heard before barristers and a jury, selected from lists of property owners. Judges were appointed by the Tsar and given improved training and pay.
- Local Justices of the Peace were elected every 3 years by the zemstvo, and were to be independent from political control.
- Courts were opened to the public and proceedings could be freely reported. National trials were recorded in a government paper, the Russian Courier.
Limitations of the liberal judicial reforms under Alexander II?
The public flocked to the open courts so a new opportunity arose for lawyers of the intelligentsia to criticise the regime.
Trial by jury was never established in Poland, the western provinces and the Caucasus, while church and military courts were excluded from the reforms, and the peasantry in the volost courts were still treated differently from those of higher status.
Who introduced the education reforms?
Alexander Golobnin
When did the educational reforms get introduced?
1863-64
Why were educational reforms introduced?
The abolition of Serfdom increased the need for basic literacy and numeracy among peasants trying to run their private smallholdings, whilst the establishment of the zemstvo provided an opportunity for a change in the control and funding of education,
What were the provisions of Golovnin’s educational reforms?
Universities were given the opportunity to govern themselves and appoint their own staff. Responsibility for schooling was transferred from the Russian Orthodox Church to the zemstvo, Primary and secondary education was extended, with 'modern schools' est. at secondary level for those who did not want the traditional classical education offered in the gimnaziya. Students from both could progress to university. Schools were declared 'open to all' regardless of class and sex.
Limitations of Golovnin’s educational reforms
The new independence given to the universities had the effect of increasing the number of radical and militant thinkers. Indeed, the education reforms were so ‘successful’ that after 1866, it was deemed necessary to reassert government control.
When were Liberal changes made to censorship under Alexander II?
1858-70
What changes were made to censorship 1858-70
Restrictions on publishers were reduced, foreign publications were permitted with govt approval, and the press was allowed to print editorials with comment on government policy.
What impact did the changes to censorship have?
Short-lived growth in the number of books, journals, newspapers on sale in Russia. the numbers of books grew from 1020 in 1855 tp 1836 in 1864 and 10691 in 1894.
