Preserving Autocracy: The Russian Autocracy In 1855 Flashcards
The political context
In 1855 what type of empire was Russia?
An autocratic empire
The political context
Who was the head of Russia and what title did he take?
The Tsar Alexander II who took the title ‘Emperor and Autocrat of all Russia’
The political context
What did Nicholas I do in 1832?
Compiled the ‘Collected Laws of the Russian Empire’
The political context
What did the Collected Laws is the Russian Empire State about the emperor of all Russia
‘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’
The political context
What does the term localism mean?
Loyalty to the local community or local area
The political context
What is an empire?
An empire is made up of lesser states ruled over by one monarch.
The political context
Nineteenth century Russia was a vast empire of around what million square kilometres?
21 million square kilometres
The political context
How much larger was nineteenth century Russia than Europe?
Twice the size
The political context
What percentage was nineteenth century Russia of the globes’s surface?
A sixth of the globe’s surface
The political context
What was the Russian word for Edict?
Ukaz (ukazy for edicts)
The political context
What is a ukaz?
An official order issued by a person of authority
The political context
What was the Holy Synod in 1855?
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
The political context
What was the highest church official and where were they appointed from?
The Over-Procurator, appointed by the Tsar from the laity - government minister appointed to run Church affairs
The political context
What was the Tsar, in name only, head of?
The Orthodox Church
The political context
What did Orthodox believers regard the Tsar as?
The embodiment of God on earth, the vast lands of the Russian Empire were his private property and he he people his children.
The political context
What did Russian people usually refer to the Tsar as?
The little father
The political context
What ‘archaic’ model of ruling did Russia follow and what did this mean?
‘Paternalistic model’ where the power of the Tsar was holy, universal and incontestable.
The political context
What did the Patriarch of Moscow, who worked in close harmony with the Tsar, provide?
Spiritual guidance
The political context
When was the Over-Procurator of the Holy Synod created position created?
1721
The political context
The structures of Church and state were entwined. What were bishops and archbishops subject to tsarist co from over?
Appointments, religious education, finances and issues of administration.
The political context
What were the law of the land?
The Tsars imperial edicts (ukaz)
The political context
What was the issue with the Tsar’s advisors and ministers in 1855?
They were all chosen by the Tsar himself and no decision could be made without Tsar approval.
The political context
What were the Tsar’s three main advisory bodies in 1855?
The Imperial Council or Chancellery
The Council of Ministers
The Senate
The political context
How many nobles were in the Imperial Council, chosen by the Tsar to adobe him personally with their ‘expert’ opinion?
35 to 60 nobles
The political context
How many ministers were in the Council of Ministers and what were they in charge of?
8 to 14 ministers were in charge of different government departments.
The political context
What was the Senate supposed to do?
Oversee all the workings of government.
The political context
In practise what had happened to the senate by 1855?
It had become largely redundant.
The political context
The Tsar and the central government were based in the Imperial capital of what?
St Petersburg
The political context
What did the Tsar and central government depend upon for support?
The provincial nobility
The political context
Since when had the nobles not been obliged to serve the State?
1785
The political context
Many nobles continued to serve the State, what is an example of how so?
As provincial governors of one of the empire’s fifty provinces.
The political context
Who were the civil servants that made up the bureaucracy?
Paid noble officials.
The political context
What were the civil servants who made up the bureaucracy chosen from?
They were selected from a ‘table of ranks’ that laid down the requirements for office.
The political context
How many levels were there in the bureaucracy in 1855?
There were 14 levels.
The political context
Who held rank 1 positions within the bureaucracy in 1855?
Members of the Council of Ministers
The political context
What state positions did rank 14 cover within the bureaucracy?
Minor state positions, for example, collecting taxes or running a provincial post office.
The political context
What was the bureaucracy riddled with and in which way did idea travel
Corruption and incompetence and ideas travelled downwards only, there was no provision for suggestions to travel upwards from the lower ranks.
The political context
Orders were passed down from from the central government to who and then who etc. In he bureaucracy?
Orders were passed down from the central government to the provincial government, in turn, to the district government and town commandants.
The political context
How many conscripted serfs were in the world’s largest army?
1.5 million
The political context
How long were serfs forced into service for and where were they made to live?
25 years and in military colonies - for lower ranks discipline was harsh and life tough.
The political context
How much of the governments annual spending did the huge serf army and smaller navy absorb?
45%
The political context
Who were the higher, more prestigious ranks saved for within the army?
Nobles who bought and sold their commissions.
The political context
The elite regiments of mounted Cossacks, with special social privileges, acted both as a what?
Personal bodyguard to the Tsar and as police reinforcements.
The political context
What provinces did the Cossacks usually come from?
Ukraine and Southern Russia.
The political context
What were the Cossacks known for, and what did they watch ride?
They were known for their skills in horsemanship and their strong military tradition, they each rode a highly trained horse.
The political context
To maintain the autocracy the nation has turned into a what state? What did this prevent?
A police state, this prevented freedom of speech, freedom of the press and travel abroad?
The political context
The secret state security network was run by the what part of the Emperor ‘s Imperial Council.
The ‘Third Section’ ran the secret state security network.
The political context
What did the ‘Third Section’ have unlimited power to do?
To carry out raids, and to arrest and imprison or send into exile anyone suspected of anti-tsarist behaviour - they were greatly feared.
The political context
Following the French Revolution, what did Alexander I between 1801 and 1825 consider doing?
Setting up an advisory representative assembly and possibly giving it law-making powers - but he never did.
The political context
What followed Nicholas I, who ruled between 1825 and 1855 to totally reject reform?
A military uprising in December 1825 - he deliberately sought to distance Russia from the west - liberal ideas.
