Alexander II-weak Position

Question 1

Edict paragraph

Answer 1

• bitter disappointment
• 647 riots in the following 4 months after the Edict
• peasants not really freed
• landlords kept the meadows, pastures and woodlands. Received generous compensation
• peasants received less land than previously farmed and of worse quality so subsistence farming continued.
• the Mir now had huge powers as they were responsible for issuing internal passports. Collected redemption payments and taxes.

Question 2

Other reforms

Answer 2

Overall he still kept control
-nobility still dominated the voting system with 40% seats at district level and over 70% at provincial level
-volosts courts were only for peasants
-church and military courts were excluded from reform
-1870s revolutionaries tried in special courts
-nobles objected to military reforms as they did not want their sons mixing with lower classes
-members of the royal family still appointed key positions
-army still relied on peasant conscripts who were uneducated
Overall they were offered a taste of freedom and when it was pulled back they were annoyed

Question 3

Reutern’s economy

Answer 3

Goods
-made government revenue and expenditure public
-audited accounts
-encouraged tax farming
Bads
-1/3 of all government expenditure went on repaying debts
-66% of government revenue came from indirect taxation (meant peasants stayed poor)
-1879-80 there was a recession in industry and Reutern did little to help the agricultural sector
OVERALL didn’t catch the western world

Question 4

Growth in opposition

Answer 4

• he kept it in check
• only just starting off
• however it did grow to the 1917 revolution
• liberals wanted a National Assembly
• Narodniks were going to the people
• in 1877 land and liberty became an actual political party
• Nihilists were despicable for St.P fires 1862
• Marxists

Question 5

What paragraphs should there be in this essay

Answer 5

1 Edict
2 Reforms
3 Economy
4 Growth in opposition