Russia (1855-1880) - Alexander II Flashcards
When was serfdom abolished?
1861- The Emancipation Edict
Private serfs given 5 years for emancipation.
Public serfs given 7 years for emancipation.
-> Freed serfs given 49 years for ‘redemption payments’.
- (From 1863) volosts ran their own courts
When was Alexander II assassinated?
Mar 1881
By the People’s Will.
After four attempts on his life between 1866 and 1880.
When was the Khodynka Tragedy?
May 1896
What is Chauvinism?
This brings about nationalistic movements with exaggerated nationalism.
What is Lutheranism?
Christianity inspired by 18th century Christian Martin Luther.
What are some of the causes of the Crimean War?
Think PERMS
- Nicolas I wanted to expand his empire. + Wanted to expand from Sevastopol to Meditterean Sea
- Britain and France saw Russia as a threat to their trading routes.
- Tension between Catholic and Orthodox Christians.
Key events in the Crimean War
- (Sep 1854) Battle of the Alma saw Russia lose 5.7k soliders, and the Allies lost 962 men.
- (Oct 1854) Battle of Balaclava saw Britain def. Russia, and the 93rd Highland Regiment being instrumental to this.
- Russia would ultimately taste defeat in this war.
- (Mar 1856) Treaty of Paris would end Russian naval domiannce in the Black Sea.
Impacts of the Crimean War after
Think PERMS
- Russia’s military expenditure rose sharply.
- Russia’s naval dominance ends.
- Nicolas I’s reign ends with def. in the Crimea.
What happened in 1872?
Think about reforms and the judiciary
Special Bench of the Senate tries crimes against the State.
A result of relaxing censorship.
What are some of Alexander II’s reforms, and their results?
Militarily
- Modern weaponry introduced.
- (1861-1881) Milyutin is War Minister.
- Mandatory time in reserves reduced from 25 yrs to 15 yrs.
- Period of service reduced from 25 yrs to 6 yrs
- Universal military service for all males aged 20
- Milyutin criticises serf conscription.
- Military colonies ended.
- Flogging reduced to increase morale.
- Better literacy in army.
- (1877-78) Russia lose war against Turkey
Reforms of Alexander II, and their results…
Local government
- Nobles dominate Zemstva, and they become a focal point.
- (By 1914) Zemstva dominated 43/70 provinces!
- zemsvtas were like electoral colleges. -> Seperate voting for novels, peasants etc.
- (1870) This refers extended to town, (zemstvas given powers to improve public sector).
Just 43/70!
Alexander II’s reforms and their results…
Judicial
- (1864) Court martials and church courts exc. from law, volost courts for peasents.
- (1872) Special Bench of the Senate tries crimes against the State, Minister of the Interior can banish dangerous parts of the country.
- Bribery rife due to low pay.
- Press coverage of cases.
- Justices of Peace tried petty cases, and they were elected by the Zemstva.
- Judiciary independence rises.
- Local Justices of Peace elected every 3 years by zemstva, and were independent from political control.
- Courts opened to public.
Reforms of Alexander II and their results…
Think about education, censorship etc, or even counter-reforms…
- (1856) Primary schools go from 8k to 23k + (1856-1880) No. of children in primary education 3x + No. of uni students rose from 3.6k to 10k +
- (1863) Unis given greater indpendence
- (1863) Censorship under Minister of the Interior
- (1865) Press discuss govt. policy
- (1870s) State supervision re-introduced due to revolutionary disturbances
- (1870s) Growth in criticism led to censorship tightening up
- Golovnin (1862-1867) Minister of Education -> Schools ‘open to all’ and they didn’t discriminate.
- Responsibility for schooling went from Russian Orthodox Chruch to the zemstva.
What was the Loris-Melikov Constitution?
During 1870s, events such as the Russo-Turkish war, which Russia lost.
- (1880) Historian W.E Mosse said Alex II was isolated from Russian people + Loris-Melikov was appointed Minister for Internal Affairs and some of the proposals:
- Released politcal prisoners
- Relaxed Zemstva activities
Loris Melikov himself also abolished the Third Section + Dismissed Tolstoy as Minister of Education +
(These were accepted by Alexander II, and a constitution wasn’t really made)
What did the Populists establish?
Part of radical opposition, to Alexander II
- (1874) Drumming up peasentry support in countryside failed with 1.6k arrests -> (1876) Another attempt failed
- (1877) Land and Liberty, who were commmitted to assassination.
(1879) Land and Liberty est. the Black Partition and the People’s Will.
Who were some radical thinkers/groups?
- Populists
- The Tchaikovsky Circle
- Marxist thinking was increasing.
Perhaps due to prior high uni independence.
Pros and cons of the 1861 emancipation…
Pros:
- Peasent disturbances less of an issue in 19th century
- Kulaks produced surplus grain to sell for a profit
- Some growth in business and industry
Cons:
- Most peasents in dire poverty -> One reason due to redemption payments being higher than land value
- 248m out of 543m roubles paid to landowners uded to cover debts
- Landowning class lacked capital to invest into significant modernisation of industry and agriculture.
Opposition ideas, ideology etc…
- Chernyshevsky -> (1862) Wrote ‘what is it to be done?’ -> Lenin used the same title for one of his works
- Pisarev believed in Nihilism
- Bakunin -> (1869) Wrote Catechism of a Revolutionary with Sergei Nechaev
- Marx -> (1867) Wrote ‘Das Kapital’
(Perhaps effects of reforms, more opposition)
‘Third Section’…
- ‘Third Section’ expanded
- (1878) Govt. decided to move political trials to military courts
Economy during Alex II…
- Tax-farming abolished (where the govt. receives income from businesses)
- (1855-1875) Railway trackage rose from 1,049km to 19,029km
- (1860-1884) Coal production rose from 21.8m to 225.4m + pig-iron production rose from 18.1m to 29.2m
- (1880-1899) Coal production rose from 225.4m to 673.3m + pig-iron production rose from 29.2m to 120.9m
- Bunge introduced -> (1883) Nobles’ Land Bank + (1885) Peasents’ Land Bank
- (1890s) 60% of Russian railway network state owned
- (1898) Oil production in Azerbaijan exceeded the U.S’s.
