Section 1 - Chapter 2

Question 1

What year was the Emancipation of the Serf?

Answer 1

1861

Question 2

What nickname was Alexander given after emancipating the serf?

Answer 2

‘Tsar Liberator’

Question 3

Socially reasons that argue for the Emancipation of the Serfs?

Answer 3

1. Serfdom had begun to symbolise Russia’s ‘backwards’ nature.
2. It was morally wrong to keep serfs tied to the land.
3. People wanted to emancipate to the serfs before a revolt occurred.

Question 4

Political reasons that argue for the Emancipation of the Serfs?

Answer 4

1. Liberal writings were becoming increasingly influential.
2. There was a fear about growing peasant unrest - there were about 70 individual peasant risings between 1855 and 1861.

Question 5

Economic reasons that argue for the Emancipation of the Serfs?

Answer 5

1. Russia had a 1 million rouble debt from the Crimean War.
2. There were high expectations that the abolition of serfdom would bring about increased agricultural production.
3. Russia needed to be modernised.
4. Russia had seen little economic progress compared to the rest of Europe.
5. There were expectations that the abolition of serfdom would create a mobile work force who would man the factories.
6. Serfdom was an obstacle to industrialisation.
7. There was a ratio of 11:1 village to town dwellers.

Question 6

Military reasons that argue for the Emancipation of the Serfs?

Answer 6

1. Russia needed to restore its status as a great power.
2. Russia’s expansion southwards had been halted by defeat in the Crimean War.
3. Russia had a 1 million rouble debt from the Crimean War.
4. Russia had been humiliated by their defeat in Crimean War.
5. The army needed to be reformed in order to achieve military efficiency.

Question 7

Arguments against the Emancipation of the Serfs?

Answer 7

1. The nobility would require compensation which would be difficult to provide.
2. Serfdom served the economic interests of the nobility.
3. The support of the nobility was vital for the survival of the state.
4. The serfs were ignorant and didn’t question authority.
5. Serfdom served the political interests of the tsarist state.
6. Serfdom had enables a scattered and diverse population to be controlled.

Question 8

What did Nicholas Milyutin say to promote the emancipation?

Answer 8

“Serfdom serves as the main - even the only - hinderance to the development in Russia”.

Question 9

What was the group of people that surrounded him and came to prominence in his court?

Answer 9

Party of St Petersburg Progress.

Question 10

Terms of the emancipation?

Answer 10

• Serf were freed. They could marry whomsoever they wished, own property and set up their own business.
• The land at the moment remained the property of the gentry, though they had to grant use of their home and a portion of arable land to each peasant.
• Each serf was guaranteed a minimum size allotment.
• Landowners were compensated by the State.
• The freed serfs were to pay back to the State redemption taxes for 49 years

Question 11

Gains from the emancipation?

Answer 11

• Serfdom was abolished and serfs were now legally free.
• They could marry whom they liked, travel, vote in local elections and trade.
• Some peasants, the kulaks, did well out of land allocation, they brought up extra land so they produce surplus grain for export.
• Other peasants sold their allocations and obtained a passport to leave the mir and raised their living standards by finding work in the industrialising cities.

Question 12

Losses from the emancipation?

Answer 12

• The Mir now controlled the peasants.
• Serfs were required to pay ‘redemption payments’ to the government over 49.
• There was a two year period of ‘temporary obligation’ before freedom was granted.
• The serfs got given the worst bit of land.
• Around 15% of peasants still remained ‘temporarily obligated’ to their landlords until 1881.
• Only about 50% of the peasantry could actually produce surplus.
• There were 647 incidents in the 4 month following the decree. One outbreak resulted in 70 peasant deaths.
• Landowners resented their loss of influence, a wave of student protests occurred in major cities.
• 75% of allotments were less than 4 dessyatinas. Peasant families now farm 20% less land than before the emancipation.

Question 13

Why did the emancipation of the serfs lead to further reforms in Russia?

Answer 13

Overall the Emancipation of the Serf lead to further reforms in Russia, as the liberation of the serfs lead to a massive change in the structure of society in Russia. Before the emancipation the nobles controlled 90% of the population from how they were disciplined to who they married. Now the serfs were freed there needed to be a reform to the system of Russia so they could have protection of rights and be held accountable for crimes committed.

Question 14

Who was inside of reforming the military?

Answer 14

Dmitry Milyutin was in charge of reorganising the armed forces to make a smaller more efficiently trained army.

Question 15

Military reforms made?

Answer 15

• Conscription was made compulsory for all classes from the age of 21.
• Length of conscription was changed to 15 years in active service and 10 years in the reserves.
• Punishments were made less severe.
• Better medical care was established in the military colonies.
• Modern weaponry was introduced.
• Military colleges were set up to provide better training for the non-nobles.
• Literacy improved with mass education.

Question 16

Limitations of military reforms?

Answer 16

• The officer class remained largely aristocratic, those in charge were high ranking nobles.
• They struggled to with the war against Turkey (1877-1878) and were defeated by the Japanese in 1904-1905 and again by Germany in 1914-1917.

Question 17

Impact of military reforms on tsarist autocracy?

Answer 17

The military structure didn’t change an awful lot this meant that the impact on the tsarist autocracy was low. Peasant weren’t able to get into higher ranks in the military and those in top positions were also those who had high social standings. This meant the Tsar was still able to control those below him through the military. Moreover, most peasant would die before they could be released from the military mean the threat of peasant unrest to the tsarist autocracy was still low.

Question 18

Local government reforms made?

Answer 18

• Replacing the rights and obligations of serf-owning gentry with a system of elected local councils known as zemstvo.
• The zemstvo was chose through a new system of electoral colleges. In this system individuals vote for others who then cast votes on their behalf.
• Voting was set up in a way for the nobility to dominate - so poorer people still didn’t have much of a voice.
• The zemstvo attracted doctors, lawyers, teachers and scientists all of whom used the meetings to debate political issues and criticise central government.

Question 19

Limitations of local government reforms?

Answer 19

• The power of the zemstvo was strictly limited - they had no control over taxes.
• Provincial governors continued to appoint officials and took judicial responsibilities.

Question 20

Impact of local government reforms on tsarist autocracy?

Answer 20

The local government reforms took away power from the tsarist autocracy as before the reform the landowners has the control of the serfs - these landowners were loyal to the Tsar and therefore would defend his regime. Without the serfs being under the control of these nobles the Tsar has lost some of his autocratic powers.

Question 21

Judicial reforms made?

Answer 21

• Equality before the law was established with a system of local, provincial and national courts.
• The accused was presumed innocent until proven guilty and could employ a lawyer to defend himself.
• Criminal cases were heard before barristers and a jury.
• Judges were appointed by the Tsar and given improved training and pay.
• Local Justices of Peace were elected every 3 years by the zemstvo and were independent from politics.
• Courts were open to the public with any trial being freely reported.

Question 22

Limitations to judicial reforms?

Answer 22

• Trials gain a lot of attention and the intelligentsia accused lawyers of using this to gain popularity and trying to become celebrities.
• New juries some acquitted the guilty because they agreed with their plight.
• The new system was not established in all provinces.
• Ecclesiastical and military courts were excluded for the reforms.
• Peasantry courts were treated different to the courts of higher status.

Question 23

Impact of judicial reforms on tsarist autocracy?

Answer 23

This removed powers from the tsarist autocracy as now the serfs had to be protected and have the right to a free trial and access to their right, whereas before the reform, the serfs were just disciplined by their landowner.

Question 24

Who made educational reforms?

Answer 24

Reforms that were made under Alexander Golovnin (Minister for Education).

Question 25

Education reforms made?

Answer 25

• Universities were allowed to govern themselves and appoint their own staff.
• Responsibility for schooling was transferred from the Orthodox Church to the zemstvo.
• Primary and secondary education was extended.
• Modern schools were established at secondary level for those who didn’t want classical education.
• School were declared ‘open to all’ regardless of sex or class.
• The number of primary schools rose from 8000 in 1856 to 23,000 in 1880.
• The number of children in education rose from 400,000 to over 1 million.
  Number of university students grew from 3600 to 10,000.

Question 26

Limitations of educational reforms?

Answer 26

• Increased the number of radical and militant thinkers.
• After 1866 it was deemed that education needed to be back under government control.
  The primary curriculum was still restricted.

Question 27

Impact of educational reforms on tsarist autocracy?

Answer 27

This removed power from the tsarist autocracy as responsibility for schooling was removed from the powers of the Orthodox Church. This takes away from the Tsar’s powers as the Orthodox Church was a key mechanism used by the Tsar maintain control at all levels in Russia. With children gaining literacy and numeracy skills, they might start to challenge the Tsar’s regime.

Question 28

Censorship reforms made?

Answer 28

• With great liberalisation under the regime there was an initial relaxation of press censorship.
• Restrictions on publishers were reduced.
• Foreign publications were permitted with government approval.
• The press was allowed to print editorials and comment on government policy.
• The number of book published grew from 1020 in 1855 to 10,691 in 1894.

Question 29

Limitations of censorship reforms?

Answer 29

A growth in critical writings brought a re-tightening of government control in the 1870s.

Question 30

Impact of censorship reforms on tsarist autocracy?

Answer 30

This removes power from the tsarist autocracy as with less censorship the Russia people can access more liberal and controversial books that might provide different insights in how a country should be run. This is risky to allow for the precarious system of Tsarist Russia as if you allow people access to liberal ideas they might rebel against the regime.

Question 31

Other reforms made?

Answer 31

• A half-hearted attempt to eliminate corruption in the lower parts of the Russian Orthodox Church.
• Some reform on the condition of the Jews and ethnic minorities.
• Mikhail Reutern brought about some economic liberalisation at the Ministry of Finance.