The State of Russia in 1855

What was underdeveloped in Russia compared to Western Countries?

The economy

What was Russia like Geographically?

* Largely Agricultural
* Vast

What percentage of the population was illiterate ?

85%

What was the ration of Village to town dwellers?

11:1

What was largely present in Russia until 1861?

Serfdom

Who was the Tsar Head of?

Head of the Russian Orthodox Church

When did the Crimean war start/end?

Start-1853

End- 1856

what two battles did Russia lose during Crimean war?

* Battle of Balaclava
* Battle of Inkerman

How much of the GDP was spent per year in Russia on the Crimean war?

45%

Why was the military inadequate ?

It was backwards

What was the impact of Alexander II travelling the empire and heading the serfdom committee?

* Had seen what serfdom does to people
* Was highly knowledgeable

What did Alexander believe abolishing serfdom would do?

* Curb tensions and help stimulate the economy

what were the 3 motives for the emancipation ?

1. Ethical Motives
2. Economic Motives- seen as immoral internationally
3. Political Motives

Who had already abolished slavery at this point?

The west

What did serfdom prevent peasants from doing which harmed the economy ?

* Prevented them from moving to work in factories and towns- low industrialisation- Peasants tied to land

What was there a low internal demand for?

Consumer goods

In 1859 how many roubles was the state in debt by?

54,000,000 Roubles

Who did the tsarist autocracy depend on historically since Ivan the terrible ?

Nobility

Who did the nobility rely on to make money?

Serfs

What had younger members of the nobility become?

* Apathetic
* demotivated
* critical of the regime