Alexander III’s autocracy

What did Alexander III’s reign begin with?

The public hanging of conspirators in his father’s assassination

How did his father’s death affect him?

He witnessed it, and was so terrified of revolutionary activity that he refused to live in the Winter Palace

Manifesto of Unshakeable Autocracy

1881, reaffirmed his commitment to Autocracy, Orthodoxy and Nationalism

Law on Exceptional Measures

If necessary, a commander in chief could take control of a locality, with arbitrary powers of imprisonment

What happened to the Loris Melikov principles?

They were abandoned and reforming ministers like Milyukov resigned

Who did Alexander III rely on?

Conservative ministers like Tolstoy, Delyanov, Pobedonostsev and Katkov

Tolstoy

Internal minister

Delyanov

Minister for Education

Pobedonostsev

Over Procurator of the Holy Synod

Katkov

Journalist who justified Alexander III’s conservative views to the public

What changed local governments?

The creation of Land Captains in 1889

Land Captain powers in zemstva

Could override zemstvo elections and decisions

Land captain powers in law

Responsible for law enforcement and gov in the countryside, could overturn court judgements

Positive of land captain reforms?

The accused could appeal to higher courts after Land captain trials

Act that changed zemstva workings

1890, reduced peasant vote weight and placed zemstva under central gov control

Effect of 1890 act

Moved discussions from politics to social service improvements

When was this extended to town zemstva?

1892

How else were town zemstva affected?

Only those above a property price threshold could vote and mayors became subject to central gov direction

Benefits of changes to gov?

It made collecting taxes more efficient

How were taxes changed?

In 1885 the poll tax was abolished and inheritance tax shifted burdens away from the lower classes

Who led the Okhrana from 1884?

Durnovo

How did policing change under Alexander III?

Police numbers increased and there was a drive to recruit spies who would pose as revolutionaries

How did the Okhrana operate?

They targeted communists and socialists mainly, but also supervised universities and gov members

Statute on police surveillance

1882, any area of the empire could be deemed an ‘area of subversion’ and those linked to crimes or criminals could be searched and exiled

How were those searched disadvantaged?

They had no right to legal representation

New law decree

1885, Minister of Justice granted more power, including the ability to dismiss judges

Changes to courts

In 1887 closed court sessions were permitted

Volost court changes

1889, put under the control of Land Captains and Judges in towns

1884 uni charter

Appointment of deans, chancellors and professions was to be based on ‘religious, moral and patriotic orientation’

Uni changes

Closed to women, students unable to gather in groups more than 5

Primary education changes

Children of lowest classes restricted to this, controlled by Orthodox Church

Literacy statistic

Only 21% of Russians were literate by 1897

Censorship ‘temporary regulations’

newspapers could be closed down and life bans were placed on editors and publishers

How did censorship become more active?

All publications had to be officially approved and libraries were restricted on what they could stock