Alexander III Flashcards
Aims
Manifesto of Unshakable Autocracy published in April 1881 showed his will
Wanted to eliminate opposition caused by his father’s reforms and strengthen autocracy at the same time
He saw the need to modernise and improve economically
Successes
The peasant and bank and the abolishment of the peasant land bank helped to relieve the financial burden on the peasants after the emancipation if 1861 and reduced some opposition
Between 1881 and 1894 the coal production doubled and the pig-iron production more than doubled
Supporters argued that his reign was a period of which allowed the state to be strengthened and for Russian pride to be restored aster turbulence of the 1860s.
Lack of revolutionary disturbances showed that his repression of opposition had been successful
Failures
The laws to improve working conditions were extremely ineffective as their were only 300 inspectors for the whole of Russia
Famine -> 1891-1892
Refusal to modernise Russia socially and politically was his greatest mistake and would eventually lead to a revolution (1917)
The oppression during his reign encouraged more extreme opposition during Nicholas’s reign
The clearest example is the execution of Lenin’s brother in 1887 which led him towards political radicalism and revolutionary Marxism
Agriculture reforms
Law making it easier for peasants to rent state land
Abolished the poll tax (1886) -> tax paid only by
Remaining emancipation of serfs
Created the peasant’s land bank in 1882 to help the peasants purchase land and was so successful that by 1904 the peasants has bought 1/3 of the nobility’s land.
Agriculture Reactionary
He gave more power to the mir (1893) and banned peasants from leaving the mir.
Land captains were introduced in 1889 to strengthen autocracy and position of the nobility in the countryside.
Economy reforms
Extends workers rights
Exports grain for industrialisation
2nd loan from France to invest in industry
He introduced laws in 1883 and 1885 to improve working conditions for women and children and in 1886labour legislation payment and dismissalto protect the workers
Sergei Witte was determined to industrialise Russia and he achieved (made a surplus in budget for the first time ever) this but at a big social cost (famine of 1891-92 -> 1.5-2 million peasants died)
Local Government reactionary
Power handed over to minister of interior
Voting rights restricted
Land Captains
Manifesto of unshakable autocracy
Legal Reactionary
Tsar secret police can imprison people without trial
Judges told what to say
Education Reactionary
More censorship
Tried to control universities
The tuition fees were raised to exclude lower class children from primary and secondary education.
Other reactionary
May laws
More russification
Okhrana
Jews who were constantly faced with pogroms and oppression and the government encouraged violence against the jews so that it would divert the people’s attention from government failures.
