Alexander II the Tsar Reformer Flashcards
How many serfs did the Tsar emancipate
51 million
What where the motives for reform
- Tutor Zhukovsky
- Earlier travels around the empire
- Party if St Petersburg progress
- Bureaucrats , Milyutin brothers
What were the economic motives to abolish serfdom
Free peasants
Greater incentive to work
Grain surplus
Export of grain providing money for landowners
Investment in industry within Russia
Mobile peasantry moving to towns to work in industry
Greater prosperity
What were the social reasons for reform ?
Peasants uprising had increased since 1840a
What was the main trigger in reform ?
Defeat of the Crimean war, Dmitry Milyutin argued that only a free population would provide the labour needed to improve the army
What did Alexander reform in the year of his First reign
- released political prisoners
- relaxed controls on censorship
- lessened restrictions on forgiven travel and uni entrance
- cancelled tax debts
- restored some of the rights of Poland and the Catholic Church
When was emancipation edict
1861
What were serfs granted with emancipation
- freedom and a land allotment
- landlords were compensated by the government
- open fields were given to the Mir
- pay 49 years of redemption payments - had to remain with the Mir till it was payed off
What was the Mirs job?
They would distribute the allotments control the farming and collect and pay the peasants taxes
What were Volosts
Established to supervise the mirs and from 1863 they ran their own courts
What was temporary obligation
A two year period where around 15% of peasants remained temporarily obligated to their landlord until 1881
Positive results of emancipation
- peasants no longer subject to their masters
- some peasants the prosperous kulaks did well out of land allocation buying extra land and exporting surplus grain
- some peasants sold their land obtained a passport to leave the Mir
- some landowners used the compensation offered to get out of debt
- Enterprising landlords made proteus through investment
Negative results of emancipation
- land allocations were rarely fair
- loss of former benefits restriction of travel and the burden of redemption payments
- resentment of kulaks and disputes over landholding led to violence
- Nobel bankruptcies continued and had to sell of mortgage their own allocated land
How did the Mir hinder emancipation
- allotments were small allowing little opportunity to adopt new farming methods
- Mir system was highly traditional subsistence farming and technical backwardness
- holdings grew increasingly smaller as the population grew
When was the local government reforms
1864-70
Who replaced the rights and obligations of the serf owing gentry
Elected local councils zemstva
Outline the Zemtava job role
Given power to improve public services, develop industrial projects and administer poor relief
What was set up in 1870?
Elected town councils called Dumas were set up in the towns
How was the zemstva chosen
Electoral colleges 5)343 was a separate college for nobles townspeople, church and peasants allowing a degree of popular representation
Who composed the zemstva
Men who understood the locality and it’s needs
How was the Zemstva limited
Power was strictly limited
No control over taxes
Voting procedure favoured the nobility
Provincial governors continued to appoint officials and could overturn zemstvo decisions
The councils were never truly people’s assemblies
When was judiciary reforms
1864
What was the judiciary system previously lacking
Jury system, lawyers and examination of witnesses
What was the new judiciary system like ?
- A single system of court’s established equality before the law
- Criminal cases were heard before barristers and a jury - judges appointed by the Tsar and given improved training and pay
Local justices of the peace were elected every 3 years - courts were opened to the public
What was the negatives about the new judicial system
Lawyers could criticise the regime
New juries sometimes acquitted the guilt out of sympathy
When was the education reforms
1863-64
Under Golovnin what reforms did he introduce
- uni could govern themselves
- responsibility for schools was transferred from the church to the zemstva
- primary and secondary education was extended
- schools were declared to open to boys and girls of all classes
What was the negative about the eduction reforms
Unis new independence increased the number of radical thinkers
When was the military reforms
1874-75
What was the military reforms
Conscription became compulsory for all classes
Lengthy of service now 15 years
Punishments made less severe
System of military colonies was abandoned
Modern weaponry was introduced
Military colleges were set up
Was were the negatives about military reforms
Richer people often found substitutes to serve from them
The officer class remained largely aristocratic
What were the other reforms introduced
Press censorship relaxed
Attempted to eliminate corruption in the lower e levels of the church
Some reform of the condition of the Jews and ethnic minorities
