Preserving Autocracy: The Russian Autocracy In 1855 Flashcards

1
Q

The political context

In 1855 what type of empire was Russia?

A

An autocratic empire

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2
Q

The political context

Who was the head of Russia and what title did he take?

A

The Tsar Alexander II who took the title ‘Emperor and Autocrat of all Russia’

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3
Q

The political context

What did Nicholas I do in 1832?

A

Compiled the ‘Collected Laws of the Russian Empire’

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4
Q

The political context

What did the Collected Laws is the Russian Empire State about the emperor of all Russia

A

‘The Emperor of all the Russias is an autocratic and unlimited monarch; God himself ordains that all must bow to his supreme power, not only out of fear but also out of conscience’

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5
Q

The political context

What does the term localism mean?

A

Loyalty to the local community or local area

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6
Q

The political context

What is an empire?

A

An empire is made up of lesser states ruled over by one monarch.

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7
Q

The political context

Nineteenth century Russia was a vast empire of around what million square kilometres?

A

21 million square kilometres

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8
Q

The political context

How much larger was nineteenth century Russia than Europe?

A

Twice the size

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9
Q

The political context

What percentage was nineteenth century Russia of the globes’s surface?

A

A sixth of the globe’s surface

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10
Q

The political context

What was the Russian word for Edict?

A

Ukaz (ukazy for edicts)

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11
Q

The political context

What is a ukaz?

A

An official order issued by a person of authority

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12
Q

The political context

What was the Holy Synod in 1855?

A

A group of bishops, which forms the ruling body of the Orthodox Church; it is the highest authority on rules, regulations, faith and matters of Church organisation

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13
Q

The political context

What was the highest church official and where were they appointed from?

A

The Over-Procurator, appointed by the Tsar from the laity - government minister appointed to run Church affairs

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14
Q

The political context

What was the Tsar, in name only, head of?

A

The Orthodox Church

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15
Q

The political context

What did Orthodox believers regard the Tsar as?

A

The embodiment of God on earth, the vast lands of the Russian Empire were his private property and he he people his children.

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16
Q

The political context

What did Russian people usually refer to the Tsar as?

A

The little father

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17
Q

The political context

What ‘archaic’ model of ruling did Russia follow and what did this mean?

A

‘Paternalistic model’ where the power of the Tsar was holy, universal and incontestable.

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18
Q

The political context

What did the Patriarch of Moscow, who worked in close harmony with the Tsar, provide?

A

Spiritual guidance

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19
Q

The political context

When was the Over-Procurator of the Holy Synod created position created?

A

1721

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20
Q

The political context

The structures of Church and state were entwined. What were bishops and archbishops subject to tsarist co from over?

A

Appointments, religious education, finances and issues of administration.

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21
Q

The political context

What were the law of the land?

A

The Tsars imperial edicts (ukaz)

22
Q

The political context

What was the issue with the Tsar’s advisors and ministers in 1855?

A

They were all chosen by the Tsar himself and no decision could be made without Tsar approval.

23
Q

The political context

What were the Tsar’s three main advisory bodies in 1855?

A

The Imperial Council or Chancellery

The Council of Ministers

The Senate

24
Q

The political context

How many nobles were in the Imperial Council, chosen by the Tsar to adobe him personally with their ‘expert’ opinion?

A

35 to 60 nobles

25
Q

The political context

How many ministers were in the Council of Ministers and what were they in charge of?

A

8 to 14 ministers were in charge of different government departments.

26
Q

The political context

What was the Senate supposed to do?

A

Oversee all the workings of government.

27
Q

The political context

In practise what had happened to the senate by 1855?

A

It had become largely redundant.

28
Q

The political context

The Tsar and the central government were based in the Imperial capital of what?

A

St Petersburg

29
Q

The political context

What did the Tsar and central government depend upon for support?

A

The provincial nobility

30
Q

The political context

Since when had the nobles not been obliged to serve the State?

A

1785

31
Q

The political context

Many nobles continued to serve the State, what is an example of how so?

A

As provincial governors of one of the empire’s fifty provinces.

32
Q

The political context

Who were the civil servants that made up the bureaucracy?

A

Paid noble officials.

33
Q

The political context

What were the civil servants who made up the bureaucracy chosen from?

A

They were selected from a ‘table of ranks’ that laid down the requirements for office.

34
Q

The political context

How many levels were there in the bureaucracy in 1855?

A

There were 14 levels.

35
Q

The political context

Who held rank 1 positions within the bureaucracy in 1855?

A

Members of the Council of Ministers

36
Q

The political context

What state positions did rank 14 cover within the bureaucracy?

A

Minor state positions, for example, collecting taxes or running a provincial post office.

37
Q

The political context

What was the bureaucracy riddled with and in which way did idea travel

A

Corruption and incompetence and ideas travelled downwards only, there was no provision for suggestions to travel upwards from the lower ranks.

38
Q

The political context

Orders were passed down from from the central government to who and then who etc. In he bureaucracy?

A

Orders were passed down from the central government to the provincial government, in turn, to the district government and town commandants.

39
Q

The political context

How many conscripted serfs were in the world’s largest army?

A

1.5 million

40
Q

The political context

How long were serfs forced into service for and where were they made to live?

A

25 years and in military colonies - for lower ranks discipline was harsh and life tough.

41
Q

The political context

How much of the governments annual spending did the huge serf army and smaller navy absorb?

A

45%

42
Q

The political context

Who were the higher, more prestigious ranks saved for within the army?

A

Nobles who bought and sold their commissions.

43
Q

The political context

The elite regiments of mounted Cossacks, with special social privileges, acted both as a what?

A

Personal bodyguard to the Tsar and as police reinforcements.

44
Q

The political context

What provinces did the Cossacks usually come from?

A

Ukraine and Southern Russia.

45
Q

The political context

What were the Cossacks known for, and what did they watch ride?

A

They were known for their skills in horsemanship and their strong military tradition, they each rode a highly trained horse.

46
Q

The political context

To maintain the autocracy the nation has turned into a what state? What did this prevent?

A

A police state, this prevented freedom of speech, freedom of the press and travel abroad?

47
Q

The political context

The secret state security network was run by the what part of the Emperor ‘s Imperial Council.

A

The ‘Third Section’ ran the secret state security network.

48
Q

The political context

What did the ‘Third Section’ have unlimited power to do?

A

To carry out raids, and to arrest and imprison or send into exile anyone suspected of anti-tsarist behaviour - they were greatly feared.

49
Q

The political context

Following the French Revolution, what did Alexander I between 1801 and 1825 consider doing?

A

Setting up an advisory representative assembly and possibly giving it law-making powers - but he never did.

50
Q

The political context

What followed Nicholas I, who ruled between 1825 and 1855 to totally reject reform?

A

A military uprising in December 1825 - he deliberately sought to distance Russia from the west - liberal ideas.