3) The Autocracy of Alexander II and Alexander III Flashcards
(11 cards)
Reasons for Alexander II’s reactionary policies after 1866
1863 Polish Revolt was armed uprising against Tsarist rule (nationalities pushing for independence) ⚔️.
1865 AII’s eldest son ☠️ + Tsarina ill ➡️ AII spent more time w/ mistress, less time w/ liberal relatives (Grand Duke Konstantin).
1866-1880🔫4 assassination attempts on AII ➡️ AII tired of ⬆️ demands of radicals against autocracy caused by reforms.
Conservatives thought reforms too far, weakening Church + nobility (Tsar’s main support)➡️pressured AII to stop + reverse reforms.
⛔️AII wanted to stop malcontent by adopting more repressive policy ➡️ 1866 replaced 4 reformist ministers w/ conservatives, liberal ministers lost influence in govt.
Alexander II and reaction in education
Tolstoy = new reactionary Minister of Education.
⬇️ zemstva’s power over education.
Returned Church authority over rural schools.
Traditional classical subjects favoured over modern subjects, science even withdrawn from some schools (T believed revolution originated in unis in sciences)🧑🏻🔬🚫.
Entry to uni restricted to those w/ classical education (mostly nobles).
Ministry inspectors appointed teachers + kept eye on moral views conveyed by teacher.
Censorship tightened + student activity controlled. Disciplinary functions transferred to police👮🏻♂️.
Students with revolutionary views or involved in revolutionary activities expelled.
Alexander II and reaction in police, law and control
Shuvalov = new head of Third Section.
Strengthened police, searches + arrests ⬆️.
⬆️ persecution of ethnic + religious minorities.
1878 political crimes transferred to special secret courts (not open to reporting).
Closed some periodicals🗞.
⬆️ rule by decree.
Arguments for Alexander II still being liberal after 1866
1870 local govt reforms extended to towns + cities.
Military reforms continued.
1st women admitted to Moscow Uni 1872👩🏻🎓.
Alexander II’s death 1881 ⚰️
AII on way to establish new constitution to ⬇️ unrest, but got bombed by People’s Will who demanded a representative assembly (didn’t realise that AII was already going to do this)💣.
AIII refused - didn’t want to make same mistakes as AII.
He publicly hanged members of People’s Will + made 10,000 arrests in response to AII’s assassination.
How did Alexander III represent unshakeable autocracy?
AIII strongly influenced by his tutor, Pobendonovstev - v conservative, believed in autocracy + nationalism.
1881 ‘Manifesto of Unshakeable Autocracy’ rejected AII’s reforms inc National Assembly + reinstated R as autocratic (written by P).
1881 Statute of State Security ⬆️ state powers to stop revolutionaries (‘temporary’ measures lasted until 1917):
(meetings 12+ people banned, schools/unis/newspapers promoting revolutionary values shut down, if suspected of revolutionary views could be arrested + executed w/o trial, couldn’t discuss govt policy critically, special courts outside legal system)
Alexander III’s policies in local government
1889 role of Land Captains reinstated nobles’ authority. State-appointed. Responsible for law enforcement👮🏻♂️+ govt in countryside. Could overrule court decisions + remove peasant officials.
1890 Zemstva Act ⬇️ independence of zemstva + placed zemstva under central govt control. Central govt interfered or stifled local initiatives. Provincial governors could veto/amend zemstva decisions. Peasants’ vote ⬇️🗳.
1892 Municipal Govt Act ⬇️ electorate to benefit richer property owners (0.7% pop. could vote in Moscow + St Petersburg)🗳. Municipal councils directed by central govt.
Alexander III’s policies in policing
1881 new secret police created, Okhrana - recruited thousands of informers + agents to penetrate revolutionary groups + uncover plots🕵🏻.
1882 Statute on Police Surveillance - police could declare any citizen subject to surveillance. 👮🏻♂️ could search, arrest, question, imprison or exile anyone they suspected of committing a crime or knowing someone who had⛓.
Alexander III’s policies in the judicial system
Govt ⬇️ scope of offences subject to legal system to centralise power.
Decrees in 1885, 1887 + 1889 gave greater power to Ministry of Justice.
Ministry of Justice could order trial to be held in private.
Many judges appointed directly from Ministry of Justice.
1887 property + educational qualifications needed by jurors ⬆️.
1889 Justices of Peace abolished, judicial functions passed to Land Captains.
Alexander III’s policies in education
1884 University Statute put strict controls on unis. ⬇️ their autonomy + student freedom. Uni staff appointed by Minister of Education.
Uni courses for women closed👩🏻🎓🚫.
Church more control over primary education⛪️.
Fees in secondary schools ⬆️ to exclude low-class students💴.
1897 only 21% pop literate📝.
Impact of Alexander III’s counter-reform and positive change
Impact: ⬆️ central govt control over local matters. Restored influence of nobility.
✅1881 redemption payments ⬇️ + debts in central provinces cancelled💸.
✅1885 poll tax abolished + inheritance tax introduced, shifting tax burden away from lowest classes💸.
✅1883 Peasants’ Land Bank set up - peasants can take out loans to buy land💸.
✅1885 Nobles’ Land Bank set up.
✅Some reformist factory legislation introduced🏭.
