chapter two Flashcards
(24 cards)
emmancipation
freeing from bondage
enlightened despotism
a system of government in which an all-powerful ruler granted domestic reforms in order to benefit their people — reforms that preserve autocracy
alexander ii motives for emancipation
his romantic poet tutor, vasily zhukovsky was very progressive, and had taken alexander to europe during his fathers reign. as well as support from his family and the party of st petersburg progress helped motivate him
party of st petersburg progress
loose title given to more liberal nobles and officials with prominence in his court
when were state vs privately owned serfs emmancipated?
state- 1866
privately owned - 1861 (emancipation edict)
redemption payments
money payed to the government for 49 years by a mir for their land and freedom
mir’s effects on redemption payments
peasant commune they had to stay in until the mirs redemption payments were payed off
redemption payments effect on economy
stunted economic growth as no opportunity to grow finances/save and peasants were still not fully free, requiring permission to leave/marry which was usually declined as that made the redemption payments less spread out so higher per person
when was freedom for serfs made necessary?
1881, so despite the emmancipation being 1861/1866 most serfs werent free until the 1880s
kulak
a wealthy peasant/ a prosperous landed peasant
why did peasants feel cheated?
land allocations were rarely fair
mir system
backwards farming techniques meant only half created a surplus
restrictions on travel
burden of redemption payments
resentment to kulack
why did landowners feel cheated?
loss of influence
military reforms
1874-75
conscription made compulsory for all classes
shortened to 15 years (from 25) with only 5 years active
modern weaponry introduced
military colleges set up to provide better training
literacy within army improved
zemstva
local government, members chosen from electoral colleges
government reforms
1864-70
introduction of zemstvo
zemstvo were given power over
improve public services (roads, schools, public health, prisons)
develop industrial projects
administer poor relief in times of hardship
duma
town version of semstva
zemstvo limitations
couldnt control over state or local taxes, provincial governors could appoint officials, take responsibility of the law or overturn a zemstva if they wanted
what was the zemstva mostly made up of
doctors
lawyers
teachers
scientists
(intelligensia)
judiciary reforms
1864
the accused was presumed innocent until proven guilty
criminal cases heard before barristers and a jury
introduction of jury- selected from a list of landowners
judges were chosen by tsar and given better training + pay
courts open to public and could be reported
education reforms
1863-64
unis given opportunity to self-govern and choose their own staff
responsibilities of schools transferred from Russian Orthodox Church to zemstvo
schools declared as ‘open to all’ regardless of class/sex
primary and secondary schools extended
effect of emancipation on education
increased need for literacy
censorship reforms
1858-70
restrictions on publishers was reduced
foriegn publications were permitted w gov approval
press allowed to print with comments on government policies
censorship reaction
growth in critical writing led to re tightening of censorship reforms in the 1870s
