Chapter 1 - S3

Question 1

What happened to Alex II in 1866 + what was the result

Answer 1

Assassination attempt on his life
Alex II adopted a more repressive policy that was characterised by ‘reaction’

Question 2

What were the reasons for Alex II’s ‘reaction’ period

Answer 2

1865 - Alex eldest son and heir died - thereafter, the tsar spent more time with his mistress
Reactionary conservatives emphasised reforms had gone too far + were weakening church + nobility
4 assassination attempts on Alex (1866-80)

Question 3

Who was the new minister for education appointed by Alex II and what did he want

Answer 3

Tolstoy - wanted tight control over education + to eradicate western liberal ideas + criticism to autocracy

Question 4

What education changes were made under Tolstoy

Answer 4

Zemstva’s powers over education were reduced
Church regained authority over rural schools
In uni’s - more liberal courses were replaced by a traditional curriculum. Censorship tightened

Question 5

Who was the new head of the third section under Alex II and what were his aims

Answer 5

Shuvalov - new head of 3rd section (secret police)
Strengthened police and increased persecution of ethnic and religious minorities

Question 6

Who was the new justice minister under Alex II and what was his intentions

Answer 6

Pahlen - ensured that the judicial system made an ‘example of political agitators’

Question 7

What changes were made to police, law and control under Alex II

Answer 7

Searches and arrests increased
Political offenders could be prosecuted under emergency powers and exiled
‘Show trials’ were held which were aimed at deterring others from revolutionary activity
This had the opposite effects and in 1878 - political crimes were transferred to special secret courts

Question 8

What were the pressures faced by Russia in the late 1870’s

Answer 8

Russo - Turkish war
Famine 1879-80
Industrial recession
Pressure from reactionary conservatives

Question 9

How did Alex II try to reduce unrest as the political crisis deepened in the late 1870’s

Answer 9

By widening democratic consultation
- appointed Loris Melikov as minister for internal affairs
Who Relaxed many restrictions and abolished 3rd section - but powers were transferred to a new special police force (okhrana - which was just as oppressive)

Question 10

What was the loris melikov constitution

Answer 10

Produced by Loris melikov in 1880
- it recommended including elected representatives in debating some state decrees
Was accepted by Alex II on 13th march 1881 but Alex was killed the same day

Question 11

What was Alex III like as Tsar

Answer 11

Reigned 1881-94
Believed that he alone could decide what was right for his country
Terrified of revolutionary activity
Strongly influenced by his tutor (pobedonostsev) who believed in absolutism, nationalism and anti semitism

Question 12

What 4 things did Alex III do at the start of his reign

Answer 12

• publicly hanged conspirators involved in his fathers assassination
• issued 1881 ‘manifesto of unshakeable autocracy’ + a law on exceptional measures
• abandoned loris melikov’s proposals
• accepted the resignations of reforming ministers and relied heavily on conservatives.

Question 13

What changes were made to the local government under Alex III

Answer 13

Nobles were reinstated to positions of authority and state authority increased

Question 14

What was the office of noble ‘land captain’ and when was it created

Answer 14

Created in 1889
- state appointed
- could override elections to the Zemstva + disregard Zemstva decisions
- responsible for law enforcement + government in the countryside

Question 15

What event took place in 1890 regarding the Zemstva

Answer 15

Zemstvo election arrangements and zemstvo powers altered
- peasants vote reduced
- zemstva placed under central government control

Question 16

What major event happened in 1892 regarding the town councils

Answer 16

Town council election arrangements altered
- electorate reduced to the owners of property above a certain value
- mayor and town councils became state employees, directed by central government.

Question 17

What was police force/policing like under Alex III

Answer 17

Department of police was run by plehve (1881-1884)
- number of police increased
- new branches of criminal investigation department set up + spies recruited
- okhrana investigated communists + socialists and watched members of government

Question 18

What was the statute on police surveillance + what effect did it have

Answer 18

Issued in 1882
- gave police tremendous power over peoples lives
Any area of empire could be deemed an ‘area of subversion’ + police could search/arrest/exile anyone who committed crimes or were thought to have

Question 19

What changes were made to the judicial system under Alex III

Answer 19

• judicial reforms of Alex II partially reversed:
• decrees of 1885/87/89 gave greater powers to ministry of justice
• 1889 - the Volost (peasant) courts were put under direct jurisdiction of the land captains + countryside and judges in towns

Question 20

What changes were made to the education system under Alex III

Answer 20

• Alex ii’s education reforms similarly eroded:
• 1884 - university appointments subject to the approval of the education ministry - now based on ‘ religious, moral and patriotic orientation’
• uni’s for women closed
• low class children were restricted to primary education
  Only 21% of population was literate by 1897

Question 21

What was the extent and impact of counter reform

Answer 21

• changes increased central gov’s control over local matters + restored some influence of nobility
• but some reforms stayed in place + there were some positive changes, for example:
• may 1881 - redemption fees reduced
• peasants land bank established