Alexander III (1881-1894)

Question 1

How did Edward Crankshaw characterise Alexander III’s reign

Answer 1

“The peace of the graveyard”

Due to the lack of meaningful opposition

Question 2

What factors inhibited opposition under Alexander III

Answer 2

His father’s assassination had shocked and appalled the great majority of Russians, ensuring a widespread acceptance of the new tsar’s repressive policies and little popular appetite for radicalism, certainly until the late 1880s

The regime heightened censorship, preventing publication of any radical publishing sensations such as ‘What is to be Done’

Unis were effectively suppressed as centres of radical thought

The police and Okhrana used their powers without restraint, repressing radicalism especially in the cities

Fear of the police state and the new controls on their powers ‘neutralised’ the zemstva’s and dumas as political talking-shops

Question 3

Give two examples of radical opposition from intellectuals and governments under Alexander III

Answer 3

THE ENROACHEMNT OF MARXISM - 1883 in Geneva, 4 Russian exiles formed the country’s first Marxist revolutionary group ‘The Emancipation of Labour’. Smuggled Marxists texts into the country where intelligentsia members discussed ideas

REVIVAL OF ZEMSTVA - Famine of 1891-92 gave more confidence to the zemstva in regions affected by hunger, as they took responsibility for humanitarian aid, while the central goverment criticised for doing little. Speeches and votes calling for reform became more common in zemstva 1892 onwards

Question 4

Give an example of terrorist opposition to Alexander III

Answer 4

TEMPORARY REVIVAL OF PEOPLE”S WILL

Question 5

Why wasn’t the People’s will successful under Alexander III

Answer 5

Re-opened in 1886, planning again to use violence to tear down tsardom.

But in a display of power from the Okhrana, the group was almost immediately uncovered, shadowed, then arrested as they prepared to us bombs to assassinate the Tsar

Their leader Ulyanov was executed

Question 6

Some historians report that Alexander was so paranoid about terrorists that he….two of his own guards when they made……………………….

Answer 6

Shot

Sudden movements

Question 7

Give evidence of Industrial opposition

Answer 7

Industrialisation and urbanisation rapidly accelerated in his last two years on the throne.

Strikes were illegal and workers were often infiltrated by the Okhrana, but a handful still took place (May 1891, workers marched for the first time for improved working conditions

Question 8

Give examples of opposition in the Russian empire

Answer 8

In Poland, Georgia, and Armenia - vocalist political parties were launched. They had much more popular support than any radical groups in central Russia because they linked their ideas to nationalism.

Russification was stirring up popular resentment against the Tsarist regime in those regions

Question 9

Alexander III was…….successful controlling and even………………opposition domestically. However, opposition flourished in……….provinces

Answer 9

Highly
Preventing
Outer

Question 10

With regards to russification, what did Pobedonostev believe

Answer 10

The Empire could on;y survive if its diversity of nationalities was eradicated

“The instinct of nationality is a disintegrating force”

Question 11

What percentage of Russian subjects were not Russian in 1888

Answer 11

60%

• Needed to have their culture, language, customs and autonomy wiped out to create a more uniform ‘Russian’ state.

Question 12

Russification would have, in fact, significant…………for the ultimate………………of Tsardom

Answer 12

Implications

Disintegration

Question 13

How was Russification implemented in Poland

Answer 13

Polish national bank was closed in 1885

Russian became the main language of primary school education (most controversial)

To maintain order, 100,000 Russian troops were stationed there permanently

Question 14

What was the impact of Russification in Poland

Answer 14

The additional desire for national liberation, stirred up by Russification, made Poland the perfect territory for political activism

Two socialist parties formed in 1892 - both offering Poland a nationalist socialist revolution

Question 15

What happened with russification under Finland and was it successful

Answer 15

The Russian language was re-introduced into Finland’s goverment and schools

Lost its independent currency

Assembly weakened in 1892

However, the real result on Finland, and the massive popular protests, would happen until the next tsar

(most successful)

Question 16

What happened with russification under the Baltic Provinces and was it successful

Answer 16

The University of Dorpat in Estonia was forced to speak Russian (instead of German) + preference given to Russian students

Giant orthodox church built in the centre of Riga

Russian migration encouraged

Caused ethenic tensions, but the ‘bloody riots’ only began under Nicholas

Question 17

Ukrainians were officially re-branded as………………..and publications in Ukrainian were………….with theatres…………

Answer 17

Little Russians
Banned
Closed

Question 18

Why was there little uproar in Ukraine

Answer 18

Little radical nationalist reaction because Ukraine was booming economically and there was a significant flow of Russian migration to the region

Question 19

What was the impact of Russification in the Caucuses (Armenia and Georgia)

Answer 19

Nationalist uprising brutally crushed

As in Poland, this heavy-handedness actually helped populists and socialists to attract local support, by linking their social and political ideas to the cause of national freedom

Question 20

How were Jews suppressed

Answer 20

The authorities tolerated and even promoted outbursts of arson, looting, rape and murder on the Jewish community - there were over 200 such attacks in 1882

1882 - any Jewish freedom of movement outside the pale was ended. Jews were prevented from purchasing ‘immovable property’ (buildings)

1887 - Jewish access to schools and unis were severely limited by quotas

1890’s - Jews were barred from participating in the zemstva + lost right to vote in elections

Question 21

What was the impact of the brutality directed at the jews

Answer 21

No Jewish ‘nationalist movement’ in response to the repression and very little record of Russian public outcry on government’s Jewish policy

However, following this persecution, the revolutionary leadership of the 20th C was disproportionally staffed woth educated Jewish mn such as Trotsky, fiercely dedicated to tearing tsardom apart

Russification may have again backfired

Question 22

Give evidence that Alexander II was a great reformer (6)

Answer 22

Emancipation of the serfs + Nobles lost exemption

Zemstav and Dumas created

Less corrupt and more efficient judicial system

Nationwide conscription - no distinction between social classes

Decreased church power

Increased proletariat from 700,000 in 1865 to 1.4 million in 1880

Question 23

Give evidence that Alexander II was NOT a great reformer (6)

Answer 23

(Alex II)
Over-representation of nobles in Zemstv (44%)

Active 3rd section

Assassination attempts - reforms not enough

1873, censorship introduced

160,000 sent to Siberia (1866-1880)

1878 - removed power from Zemstcva and Duma in a national state of emergency

Question 24

Give evidence that Alexander III was NOT a great reactionary (5)

Answer 24

(Alex III)

Abolished salt tax

Decreased peasant redemption payments

Peasant bank

Abolished poll tax

Factory inspections introduced

Question 25

Give evidence that Alexander III was a great reactionary (7)

Answer 25

(Alex III)
Reinforced safeguard

Okhrana grew in power (able to hold prisoners without trial for 3 months)

Judicial system became more corrupt

Land captains (increased noble power, can hold their own trials and overall Duma elections)

Over-representation of nobles in Duma (57%)

Higher school fees limited unis - professors appointed according to their levels of patriotism

1892 - Okhrana can search property without a warrant

Question 26

Give 3 themes in the essay ‘Whilst Alexander II was the great reformer, Alexander III was the great reactionary

Answer 26

Treatment of opposition

Relationship with subjects

Autocracy and goverment

Question 27

How many major newspapers were banned for ‘liberal tendencies’

Answer 27

14

Question 28

What judicial change happened in 1885

Answer 28

Independence of the high court judges was revoked - Tsar could effectively fire judges

Question 29

What judicial changes happened in 1887

Answer 29

Reporters and relatives banned from attending trails when the ‘dignity of state power’ was deemed at risk

Wealthier noble juries became more common - lenient towards the Tsar

Question 30

Give an argument that undermines the reactionary actions of Alexander III and why it’s insignificant

Answer 30

Mainly influenced by his new appointed ministers, including Tolstoy, who were deeply conservative and the extent of his reactionary character is somewhat amplified and exaggerated through outside influence

However, he chose these deeply conservative ministers to carry out his proposed policies, implying that Tolstoy had little influence over Alexander as his mind was already made up

Question 31

What did the reinforced safeguard enable in 1881

Answer 31

Appointees of the Tsar could arrest dissidents and hold them without trial + sentence them to exile with no legal representation

Commanders could close down newspapers, shops, factories and immigration

Question 32

What was a Land Captain and who could hold them

Answer 32

Only Nobles

Allowed them to conduct their own trials as judge and jury, overall the decisions of the zemstva and elections of Zemstva and Duma

Question 33

In 1892, the voting rules for elections to the DUmas were stiffened to exclude any…………………..voter. The electorate in St.Petersburg shrank by 2/3rds

Answer 33

Working-class

Question 34

Professors were appointed by the state for their ‘……………moral and……….orientation’ not their qualifications

Answer 34

Religious

Patriotic

Question 35

How did Alexander view the Orthodox Church

Answer 35

As a vital tool in restoring faith in autocracy

Question 36

What church reform happened in 1883

Answer 36

Non-Orthodox Christians were barred from wearing religious dress in public and building new churches

Attempting to convert an Orthodox Christian became a crime punishable by death

Question 37

In…..Orthodox priests became…….employees, paid out by taxes. They had to read out the……..descrees in church and had to turn anyone in who………….to a crime

Answer 37

1883
Tsar’s
Confessed

Question 38

Give some positive reforms under Alexander towards the peasantry and workers

Answer 38

1881 - abolished Salt tax (a heavy burned on the peasantry)

Reduced the size of peasant’s redemption payments, and cancelled all arrears in 37 provinces

1883 = opened a Peasant Bank to help the peasantry borrow and buy land

1886 - abolished the hated poll tax, shifting taxation t private businesses and urban property

Lowered workplace fines and introduced factory inspections + controlled number of hours children worked for

Question 39

Why was Alexander III so liberalising of the working class

Answer 39

Made them satisfied with their circumstances and thus, unwilling to revolt

Question 40

Give a quote by Popedenostev about democracy

Answer 40

“Democracy is the greatest lie of our time”