Tsarist Russia

Question 1

Name all four reforms under Alexander II.

Answer 1

Education and censorship, military, local government and judicial.

Question 2

Overall, were the military reforms positive or negative and why?

Answer 2

Negative, still a class division, peasants still at a disadvantage.

Question 3

Name two negatives of the education and censorship reforms.

Answer 3

1. Many students relied on financial help - they were poor and undernourished.
2. Minister of interior did close down some delinquent publishers.

Question 4

Name all four counter reforms under Alexander III.

Answer 4

The police and law courts, education, local government and legal.

Question 5

Overall, were the education reforms positive or negative and why?

Answer 5

Positive because all classes had a right to education, so more students were being seen as more important in society.

Question 6

Explain censorship reforms and why they had a positive impact

Answer 6

Newspapers and books no longer had to be submitted prior to publishing - positive impact as more became informed of the state of Russia.

Question 7

Name two positives of local government reforms

Answer 7

1. Employed teachers, doctors and lawyers, known as third element
2. Councils had responsibilities for health, education and maintenance of roads/bridges etc…

Question 8

Name two negatives of the military reforms

Answer 8

1. Army relied on peasant conscripts (uneducated and illiterate)-reduced effectiveness of their training
2. Opposed by nobility-didn’t want their offspring mingling with lower classes

Question 9

Overall, were the local government reforms positive or negative and why?

Answer 9

Negative, nobles treat with more respect than the poor, rights still not equal.

Question 10

Overall, were the judicial reforms positive or negative and why?

Answer 10

Positive, especially in larger cities, due to vast amount of improving education - impacted a lot of people.

Question 11

Name two positives of the education and censorship reforms.

Answer 11

1. Increase in primary schools meant a more literate peasant population, who took on new aspirations
2. Secondary schools opened to all classes - numbers doubled in 1860’s

Question 12

Name two positives of the military reforms

Answer 12

1. Reduction in number of offences that carried corporal punishment and flogging was abolished.
2. Staff college was established with high standards, offering promotions for graduates