Reforms of Alexander II

Question 1

Who can be seen to have influenced the reforms of Alexander II?

Answer 1

-His brother - Duke Konstantin
-His aunt
-‘enlightened bureaucrats’ > Milyutin brothers
-All committed to the abolition of serfdom for some time

Question 2

What was one of the main catalysts for action in reform?

Answer 2

-Humiliations and inefficiencies of the Crimean war 1853-56

Question 3

Who was the Minister of war 1861-71 and what did he plead?

Answer 3

-Dmitry Milyutin
-pleaded for reform to ‘strengthen the state and restore dignity’
-Believed army needed to be modernised > only a ‘free’ population would provide the needed labour for improvement

Question 4

when were the local govt reforms?

Answer 4

-1864 to 1870

Question 5

What did the local govt reforms of 1864-1870 do?

Answer 5

-created a local self-run government > Zemstva
-Elective assemblies > restricted right over taxation
-New rural and municipal police und

Question 6

What was the ‘Zemstvo”?

Answer 6

-rural self-government in the Russian Empire was established in 1864
-provide social and economic services
- significant liberal influence within imperial Russia.

Question 7

What were the problems with the Zemstva?

Answer 7

-Voting procedures arranged that Nobles dominated
-No control over state and local taxes
-Provincial govt could overturn zemstvo decisions
-Never truly a ‘people’s assembly’ > attracted the Intelligentsia

Question 8

When were the Judicial reforms?

Answer 8

1864

Question 9

What influenced the Judicial reforms?

Answer 9

-Emancipation > overhaul of law needed - especially regarding property rights

Question 10

What did the Judicial reforms do?

Answer 10

-Local, Provincial and National courts set up (Volost courts > peasants) > Accused guilty until proven innocent
-Criminal cases > heard before barristers and a jury - selected from property owners - Judges appointed by the Tsar
-Local Justices of the peace elected every 3 years by Zemstva > independent from political control

Question 11

What were the benefit of the Judicial reforms?

Answer 11

-Judge used to examine handwritten evidence > prepared by landowner and police
-No Jury system before
-No examination of witnesses

Question 12

What were the limitations of the Judicial reforms?

Answer 12

-Trail by Jury was never established in Poland, the western provinces and the Caucasus
-Ecclesiastical and military courts were excluded from reforms
-peasantry was still treated differently in the Volost Courts

Question 13

What were Ecclesiastical and military courts?

Answer 13

-Ecclesiastical > church court > punishments in hands of priests
-Military courts > Army officers awarded sentences

Question 14

When were the educational reforms?

Answer 14

1863-1864

Question 15

Why were Educational reforms needed?

Answer 15

-Abolition of serfdom > need for basic literacy & numeracy increased
-Zemstva provided an opportunity for a change in control and funding of education

Question 16

Who was the minister for education in 1862-1867?

Answer 16

Alexander Golovnin

Question 17

What did the education reforms do?

Answer 17

-Universities could govern themselves > and appoint their own staff
-the responsibility of schooling was given to the zemstva rather than by the church
-Primary and secondary education were extended
-Schools were open to all > regardless of class and sex

Question 18

What was the significance of the educational reforms?

Answer 18

-Student court grew from 3,600 to 10,000
-Increase in the number of educated
-Due to education more people could be critical of the Tsar

Question 19

When were the Military reforms?

Answer 19

1874-1875

Question 20

Who was in charge of the Military organisation during the reforms?

Answer 20

Dmitry Milyutin

Question 21

What were the Military reforms?

Answer 21

-universal conscription, was introduced for all social classes starting in 1874.
-Service reduced to 15yrs rather than 25yrs but with 10yrs in the reserves
- Punishments = less severe
-`Modern weaponry
-Military colleges set up > train non-nobles
-Mass army education in the 1870s-80s > literacy improved

Question 22

when were the censorship reforms?

Answer 22

-1858-1870

Question 23

What did the censorship reforms do?

Answer 23

-Initial relaxation of press censorship
-Restrictions on publishers reduced
-Foreign publications were permitted with govt approval
-Press was allowed to print editorials with comments on govt policy

Question 24

Why were the censorship reforms significant?

Answer 24

-Number of books published grew from 1020 in 1855 to 1836 in 1864

Question 25

How come the little reform to reform the condition of the Jews and ethnic minorities was reversed?

Answer 25

-1863 Polish Rebellions