To what extent was reform possible? Flashcards
What are Westerners?
For Russia to be great must adopt best features of western advanced countries
What are Slavophiles?
saw West as corrupting, nation should preserve their self glorifying in slav cultures
Alexander II’s local gov reform
emancipation of serfs 1861
set up network of elected elected rural councils, Zemstva
mir - keep order and provide cheap means of collecting taxes
Why did Alexander II launch these reforms?
To lessen opposition to the tsarist system
reform from above to prevent revolution from below
What were did these reforms feel like
Emancipation, greater press, university freedoms greeted by enthusiasm by progressives
Why did progressive reforms stop?
he was still an autocrat, unthinkable to compromise his power as tsar
returned from reformist polices back to tsarist tradition of oppression
Policies of ‘THE REACTION’
Powers of Okhrana extended as well as censorship
Judges, officials who were sympathetic towards liberal ideas removed from office
University Statute 1887- uni under strict gov control
Zemstava act 1890 - decreased independence of local councils
Who was Pobedonostev
Tutor of court to Nicholas II
Man of enormous influence in Imperial Russia
Pobedonostev ideas
Repressive attitude
deep distaste for all forms of liberalism and democracy
representative gov labelled as ‘Great lie of our time’
Russians en masse too uneducated, vulgar to govern themselves
What did Pobedonostev encourage
Behind many pogroms
What was Russification?
restricting influence of foreign minorities by emphasising everything Russian
What did Russification include
Russian official 1st language
discrimination became more open
Consequences of Russification
Anti-Semitism
over 600 new measures, imposing heavy social, political, economic restrictions on Jewish population
Jews forced to live in Ghettos - ez to characterise as scape goats
Anti - semitism deeply ingrained in Tsarist russia
‘Black Hundreds’ popular and notorious for attacks on jews
Response To Nicholas II’s policies
opposition became more organised
number of political parties, violent and moderate came into being
Alienated 5M of Jews many fled 2 west
