Alexander ll Flashcards
what happened in Balaclava to Russia in the crimean war
- suffered humiliating defeats as Britain and France came to Turkey’s help
what problems did the defeat in the black sea naval base cause
- trade had been disrupted through the black sea causing food shortages, peasant uprisings and had shown the weaknesses of the economy
what problems had the crimean war highlighted
- lack of weapons (1 musket for every 2 soldiers)
- outdated weapons
- low morale
- transport inadequacies - slow and no railway system
what was alexander ll’s views
- believed in autocracy and strength of tsardom
- needed to modernise and industrilise
economic ideas of Alexander ll
- serfs weren’t free to move to cities to work in factories
- population increase that couldn’t be provided for
- greater competition with Western Europe
what did the intelligenstia campaign for
- for reform along western lines e.g. representitive assemblies
- serfdom was backward and immoral
what did slavophiles believe needed to be changed after the crimean war
- needed to be modernised
- keep culture and heritage based on the Orthodox church
what were the early stages of the emmancipation (1856-8)
- in 1856 a group of nobles had been asked to make suggestions but this failed and in 1857 a secret committee of leading officials was created but they were too slow
- alex decided to be more involved and toured the country making speech which grew a personal bond with the people
why did some nobles not agree with the emancipation
- wanted to keep economic control over the peasants and didn’t want to lose out financially
what year was the emancipation edict made law
- 1861
what were the terms of the emancipation decree
- free from ties to landowner
- free to marry
- own property and business
- had to pay redemption payments for 49 years
- mir organised allotments and collected taxes
- for 2 years peasants still had to do labour service for the landlord
- serfs could keep their cottage and land
how many years did the emancipation take
20
how were improvements made to serfs lives
- some made money from surplus (kulaks)
- some peasants sold their land and moved to towns and cities for better wages
how were there still problems for the peasants
- many resented having to pay the redemption payments
- some felt there wasn’t enough land to live on as they had small plots
- some were forced to continue working for landowners as the redemption payments were too high
- some peasants fell into debt and relied on loans from kulaks
- mir was too traditional as land was passed down to families which restricted growth
what military reforms did alexander ll create
- Dmitrii Milyutin who was the minister of war made reforms to remove abuses and create a more professional army
- included:
- improvements in equipment, food and medicine
- length of service reduced for 25 to 15 years
- conscription for all classes from the age of 20
- corporal punishment was abolished
- railways to improve transport
- military colleges to better train officers
what was the outcome of alexander ll’s military reforms
- smaller but better trained army
- some peasant soldiers remained illiterate
- success against war with Turkey in 1878
what local government reforms were made in 1864-70
- Zemstva were created, they were local elected councils peasants voted for an electoral college system who then did the official voting for people in the zemstva
what was the role of the zemstva
- manage and organise public services such as roads, schools and public health
what was bought in to towns in 1870
- dumas
- zemstva in urban areas
what were limits to the zemstva
- no control over local taxes, law and order
- the provincial governors who were appointed by the tsar had control over law and oder and could overthrow the zemstva
what judicial reforms were made by alexander ll in 1864
- new court system - needed due to the new freedom of the serfs
- local courts, district courts, chambers and senate
- cases heard by a jury
- open proceedings
- better training for judges
- cases recorded and reported in the press
- however judges were still appointed by the tsar
what improvements were made to judicial system
- less corrupt
- many intelligentsia became lawyers who could criticise the regime
what problems still existed in the judicial system
- juries were not extended to all parts of the empire e.g. poland
what educational reforms were made by alexander ll in 1863-64
- universities could govern themselves, primary and secondary education was extended
- extension of modern schools
- women could attend secondary school from 1870
what censorship reforms were made by alexander ll in 1858-70
- relaxation of press censorship
- foreign publications allowed
- publications were allowed that commented on government policies
- however the ministry of internal affairs could stop publications
what economic reforms did alexander ll in 1860-78
- treasury reformed
- bank facilities extended
- state bank created in 1860
- foreign investment was encouraged
what church reforms did alexander ll do in 1867-69
- allowed talented and eductaed priests to gain promotions in the church
- didn’t want to alter the systems of the church due to it weakening his autocracy
what reforms were made in poland
- relaxed restrictions on catholicism and the polish language
what reforms were made in finland
- semi-independent government allowed and finnish langauage accepted
what was the assassination attempt in 1866
- Karakosov, a student with a noble background attempted to shoot alexander near his home
due to the attempt what was changes were made to education
- zemstvas power over schools was reduced and church regained power over rural schools
- gimnazii had to follow traditional curriculum and only these could go to university
- censorship and publications increased
due to the attempt what changes were made to the police, law and courts
- increased the third section
- show trials held to deter political opposition and political prisoners were exiled
- however the show trials backfired as the jury often showed sympathy which led to them being held in private
why did alexander ll increase restrictions for non-russians
- a rebellion in poland against russian control in 1863
how and why did the intelligentsia oppose the Tsar
- grown due to increase knowledge of western ways and growth of democracy
- students published a manifesto called young russia after wanting a new society based on science and away from the church
how do socialist thinkers oppose the tsar
- Bakunin and Cherynyshevesky wanted peasants to be the superior group
- karl marx and das kapital spreading communist ideals
how did the populists oppose the tsar
- led by Chernyshevsky and lavrov
- published what is to be done in 1863 concerning how to deal with poor peasants and marx
how did the peoples will oppose the tsar
- wanted to use violence to start a revolution and made 4 failed attempts to assassinate the tsar
what was the Loris Melikov constitution
- set up to try and reduce revolutionary activity
- made suggestions for a more representative government at national level
- alexander ll agreed to this but was assassinated before the official meeting to settle it
