Alexander II- Why did Alexander emancipate the serfs?

Question 1

What are the five main reasons as to why Alexander II emancipate the Serfs?

Answer 1

-Personal
-Loss of the Crimean war
-Moral
-Social.
-Economical

Question 2

What did moral reasons do to lead to the emancipation?

Answer 2

-‘evil cannot last forever’
-demoralisation of the serfs
-welfare.

Question 2

Why did the loss of the Crimean war lead to emancipation?

Answer 2

-revealed weakness of army. (physical)
-reforms impossible with serfs
-inadequate distribution and communication.

Question 2

What economic reasons led to the emancipation of the Serfs?

Answer 2

-free wage labour meant serfs more motivated
-Serfdom is a ‘powder keg’ under the states
-Rising debt contracted by the nobles.
-RUSSIA HAD A 159M ROUBLE DEBT.

Question 2

What social reasons led to the emancipation?

Answer 2

-increasing disturbances
-1859 prospect of a peasant war-
-nobles concern

Question 2

What was the Tsars personal reason for emancipating the serfs?

Answer 2

-preservation of autocracy
-Would be better to abolish from above then wait for it to be destroyed by below.

Question 3

How many reports of peasant uprisings were kept by the ministry of the interior?

Answer 3

-712.

Question 4

How high was Russias debt?

Answer 4

159 Million