Emancipation/reforms Flashcards
What year was the Emancipation Ukase?
1861
What rights did the ukase give peasants?
They could marry, set up business, travel and have legal rights
They could keep their cottage or allotment
They could sometimes buy additional strips of land
What was the Mir?
The peasant community. Serfs had to stay with their Mir until redemption payments were paid
What we’re redemption payments?
Serfs had to pay this to become free, there were 49 annual payments at 6% interest
What were Kulaks
Peasants who did well out of land allocations, they increased the size of their estates and produced surplus grain to sell for export
In the four months following the decree, how many incidents of riots were there due to the ukase?
647
The bloody suppression soon of a peasant riot in Kazan left 70 dead
What did Alexander II think the ukase would do?
Stimulate the economy, lead to industrialisation
What were the local councils called?
The Zemstva
What powers did the zemstva have?
Make improvements to public services such as roads, schools, public health and gaols
They were to administer poor relief in times of hard ship
How was the zemstva limited?
They had no control over state and local taxes and the Tsar could overturn their decisions if he chose.
What changes were made to courts?
Cases were to be heard before barristers and a jury.
The accused could have a defence
Judges were given more pay and training
The senate heard appeals
The newspaper the Russian Courier reported cases
What was the Volost?
Volost courts dealt with peasants leaving serf dependance. Judges in these courts were peasants who had to be literate and without convictions. They were elected for 3 years by the peasants.
Why did Alex II reform the education system?
The need to educate Russians to catch up with the West
The abolition of serfdom increased the need for basic literacy and numeracy among peasants
Who was minister for education 1862/67?
Alexander Golovnin
What reforms were made to education?
Universities given the right to govern themselves in 1863
Responsibility for schooling transferred from the church to zemstva
Schools were open to all regardless of class and sex
Primary and secondary education was extended through the country
