Russia in Revolution 1881-1905 Flashcards
When did Tsar Alexander II rule?
1855-1881
In 1861 which reform was passed?
The emancipation of the Serfs
What happened to Alexander II?
Assasinated by the “peoples will”
Who became Tsar after Alexander II and when did he rule?
Tsar Alexander III, 1881-1894
Major policies of 1884?
- Peasant land bank created
- Primary schools placed under church control
Land captains-when were they introduced and what did they do?
1889
They enforced local law
What was Russia’s population in 1881?
98 million
Political structure of Russia in the 19th C?
Tsar-complete political power
Beneath him:
Council of ministers-appointed by tsar
Russian orthodox synod-tsar chose chairman of synod, parliament of state church
Provincial governors-appointed by tsar
Who was the most powerful church in Russia under the rule of alexander II?
The Russian orthodox church
What did Tsar liberator introduce in 1864?
Zemstva: the local government units in rural areas
What did the Tsars government introduce in 1870?
Trial by jury
Elective government was extended to towns and cities
When was Alexander II assassinated and by who?
13 march 1881 by the ‘People’s will’
What was Alexander II’s nickname?
Tsar liberator
When did Alexander III rule?
1881-1894
When did major famine occur in Russia?
1891, 1892 and 1893
When was the ‘people’s will’ group formed?
What kind of group were they?
1879
Nilhalists- they knew they wanted to remove the Tsar but didn’t know what their plan was afterwards
Who became procurator of the holy synod in 1880?
Konstantin pobedonostsev
What was the statue of state security?
It set up government-controlled courts to try and convict political opponents
How was press freedom restricted under Alexander III?
1882-1889: 14 major newspapers banned for displaying liberal tendencies
Foreign books and newspapers severely restricted
How was education controlled under Alexander III?
Uni fees raised to exclude all but the very wealthy
1884: Uni’s came under government control
Zemstva primary schools were put under church control- restrictions introduced so sons of peasants and workers couldn’t go to secondary school
How was local political power controlled under Alexander III?
1890: land captains made part of local zemstva
Zemstva franchise restricted to allow only landed classes to be elected
Doctors and school teachers not allowed to stand
Why did trial by jury cause problems for the Tsar’s government?
1878: radical extremist vera zasulich acquitted of shooting the st. petersburg chief of police in broad daylight
How did Alexander III’s governemnt later end trial by jury?
1890: government exercised right to select juries
What policy did Alexander III introduce to bring unity in his large, multi-racial empire?
Russification-insisting on the use of only the Russian language in official documents and in schools
When was Russian made the official language of the Russian empire?
1885
What were Pogroms?
Attacks on jewish property and jewish civilians
Who was Alexander III’s first finance minister?
Nikolai Bunge
What policies did finance minister bunge introduce in 1882?
Introduced laws to reduce peasant tax burden
Established peasant land bank-offered loan facilities to peasants
When did Bunge resign?
Who replaced him?
Bunge resigned 1887
Replaced by ivan Vyshnegradsky
What did Vyshnegradsky do for finacial reform under Alexander III?
Introduced financial incentives to peasants to migrate to eastern siberia
French and british loans supporting Russian economic development
When did Nicholas II come into power?
October 1894, following the death of Alexander III
What did Jewish radicals form in 1895?
The bund, a left-wing organisation