Tsarist Government in the Nineteenth Century

Question 1

4 points

What was the role of the Tsar?

Answer 1

• He was an autocrat, exercising total control over decision making.
• All structures of government were answerable to him.
• He was seen as both an autocrat and paternalistic figure (little father), protecting his people from external threats as well as themsleves.
• Autocracy viewed as essential to the good of Russia, needed to hold empire together, people not educated enough for democracy.

Question 2

3 points

What was the Ideology of Tsarism?

Answer 2

• Orthodoxy - Commitment to Russian Orthodox Church, which taught obedience to the Tsar.
• Autocracy - Belief in absolute power of the Tsar.
• Nationality - Promotion of Russian culture and Russian people.

Question 3

4 points

What structures of central government were there?

Answer 3

• Imperial Council of State
• The Senate
• The Council of Ministers
• The Committee of Ministers

Question 4

What was the rols of the Imperial Council of State?

Answer 4

They were appointed by the Tsar and advised him on legal and financial matters.

Question 5

What was the role of the Senate?

Answer 5

They acted as the Supreme Court of Russia, whose roles included confirming noble titles, adjudicating in disputes between landownwers, and the court of appeal in major cases.

Question 6

What was the role of the Council of Ministers?

Answer 6

They were appointed and chaired by the Tsar. They considered draft laws and either accepted them or passed them to the Committee of Ministers.

Question 7

What was the role of the Committee of Ministers?

Answer 7

They implemented government policy (they didn’t make any themselves). Key figures include:
* Minister of the Interioir (domestic)
* Minister for War
* Minister of Finance
* Chief Procurator of the Holy Synod (religeon)

Question 8

What was the Third Section?

Answer 8

The Tsar’s secret police. They worked outside of the law to monitor dissent in the population and arrest opposers. They were also involved in the censoring of authors. They were quite inneffective, failed to supress opposition under A2.

Question 9

6 points

How did Local Government work under the Tsars?

Answer 9

• In 1855, there were 114,000 officials involved in government.
• Russia was divided into 50 provinces, each of which was governed by a governor appointed by the Tsar.
• The gentry in each district met every three years to pick judges and chief of police.
• Most government roles were unpaid, but there was an opportunity to make money by bribes or skimming off the top.
• The system was ineffective and breurocratic - it could take months for a governor to hear a reply from the centre.
• This meant that provincial governors had lots of autonomy.

Question 10

3 points

What was the Army like under the Tsars in the nineteenth century?

Answer 10

• 140,000 men in 1855.
• Officers came from the nobility.
• Main force was from peasant conscripts, who had to serve 25 years.

Question 11

4 points

How did the Church operate as part of the government under the Tsars in the nineteenth century?

Answer 11

• Orthodox church was central to Russian life, (worship, rites of passage, marriage, death, holidays ect).
• The Church was run by the Holy Synod, which was controlled by a government minister (Chief Procurator of the Holy Synod).
• Church taught that the Tsar had the people’s best interests at heart, he was the ‘little father’ (with God being the big one).
• Tsar controlled church finances and appointments.