To what extent was reform possible?

Question 1

What are Westerners?

Answer 1

For Russia to be great must adopt best features of western advanced countries

Question 2

What are Slavophiles?

Answer 2

saw West as corrupting, nation should preserve their self glorifying in slav cultures

Question 3

Alexander II’s local gov reform

Answer 3

emancipation of serfs 1861
set up network of elected elected rural councils, Zemstva
mir - keep order and provide cheap means of collecting taxes

Question 4

Why did Alexander II launch these reforms?

Answer 4

To lessen opposition to the tsarist system
reform from above to prevent revolution from below

Question 5

What were did these reforms feel like

Answer 5

Emancipation, greater press, university freedoms greeted by enthusiasm by progressives

Question 6

Why did progressive reforms stop?

Answer 6

he was still an autocrat, unthinkable to compromise his power as tsar
returned from reformist polices back to tsarist tradition of oppression

Question 7

Policies of ‘THE REACTION’

Answer 7

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

Question 8

Who was Pobedonostev

Answer 8

Tutor of court to Nicholas II
Man of enormous influence in Imperial Russia

Question 9

Pobedonostev ideas

Answer 9

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

Question 10

What did Pobedonostev encourage

Answer 10

Behind many pogroms

Question 11

What was Russification?

Answer 11

restricting influence of foreign minorities by emphasising everything Russian

Question 12

What did Russification include

Answer 12

Russian official 1st language
discrimination became more open

Question 13

Consequences of Russification

Answer 13

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

Question 14

Response To Nicholas II’s policies

Answer 14

opposition became more organised
number of political parties, violent and moderate came into being
Alienated 5M of Jews many fled 2 west