Autocracy, Reform and Revolution 1855-94

Eurasianism

Russians argument for why it should dominate the space

Absolutism

Power centralised within one person yet still governed by the law

Absolute power

Ordained by god

What did the Russian Orthodox Church promote

Obedience to the tsar

Alexander II

1855-81

Autocracy justification

In such a big country only one person can govern to prevent Russia falling apart

What did democracy create for many Russians

Poverty and instability due to power plays

What were the majority of the population in 1855

Serfs

Which 3 groups owned land

Tsar, church, nobility

Where was the majority of russias wealth derived from in 1800s

Agriculture, so you needed workers

Serfs

Labour force, tied to the land

Limits of serfdom

Nobles couldn’t execute serfs in theory, but size of the country made this pointless

Tsar

Leader of Russia, head of Russian Orthodox Church

What did many Russian orthodox believers believe about the tsar

He was the embodiment of god on earth

Patriarch of Moscow

Worked closely with tsar and provided spiritual guidance

Over Procurator of the Holy Synod

Created in 1721, gov minister that ran church affairs

Who were the tsars main advisory

Chancellery, council of ministers and the Senate

Chancellery

35-60 nobles picked by tsar to personally advise him

Council of ministers

8-12 ministers in charge of different government departments

Senate

Oversaw workings of government but was redundant by 1855

Where were the Tsar and Central Government based

St Petersburg the imperial capital

What did the regime depend on for support

The provincial nobility

Since when had nobles not been obliged to serve the state

1785

What did the tsar expect of all landowners

Strong obligation to keep order on their estates

What would the tsar do when circumstances demanded (nobles)

Appoint a special committee of nobles to carry out an investigation or report

Who were the civil servants who made up the bureaucracy

Paid noble officials selected from a table of ranks of requirements

Who was rank one of the bureaucracy held by

The council of ministers

What did rank 14 of the bureaucracy cover

Minor state positions like collecting taxes

What did each rank of the bureaucracy have

Its own uniform, address and status

What was the bureaucracy riddled with

Internal corruption and incompetence

What happened within the bureaucracy

Orders were passed from the central government to provincial and district governments

What was the tsars army made up of

1.5 million conscripted serfs

What were the conscripted serfs forced to do

Serve for 25 years and live in a military colony

How much of the governments annual spending did the army and navy absorb

45 per cent

Who were the higher ranks of the military reserved for

Nobles who bought and sold their commissions

What was the function of the army

To fight in wars or put down rebellions

Cossacks

Personal bodyguards to the Tsar and police reinforcement

What had Russia developed into to maintain the autocracy

A police state

What did the police state prevent

Freedom of speech, press and travel abroad

What existed at every level of government

Censorship enforced by the police

What did the third section do

Keep surveillance over the the population, raid, exile those against the tsar

What did Alexander 1 consider doing after the French Revolution

Setting up an advisory representative assembly with law making powers

Where did the empire of the Ottoman Turks stretch from in the mid nineteenth century?

From the Middle East across the Black Sea straights into the Balkans

What was the problem with the empire of the ottoman turks

The sultan couldn’t control Christian’s in his European dominions

How did Nicholas I view the sultan’s struggle?

As an opportunity to increase Russian influence in the area

What did Nicholas I call himself in response to the Ottoman Empire

The protector of Slavs and Christians

What did Nicholas I do in June 1853 (Crimean)

Invaded Moldavia and Wallachia so the Turks declared war in October

What did the Russians do due to being stronger in the Crimean war?

Sank a Turkish squadron anchoring at Sinope bay

What did the sinking of the ships provoke?

The British and French in to protect their trading interests

What did the British and French send to the crimea?

60,000 men for a land and sea attack of a Russian base

What problems did Russia face in the crimea

Old tech, poor transport, inadequate leadership

What was the problem with russias military in the crimea?

The conscript army was large but without flexibility or determination

When was Russia defeated at Balaclava?

October 1854

When was Russia defeated at Inkerman

November 1854

What did the Crimean war demonstrate about Russia

Its military and administrative inadequacies

What were Alexander II’s natural tendencies

Conservative rather than liberal

How many peasant uprisings were there between 1840-44

Less than 30, but this more than doubled after

Reasons for increased serf uprisings: Crimean military conscriptions

Alexander delayed freeing the conscripted serfs, increasing tensions

Why did Dmitri Milyutin push for emancipation?

The army needed modernisation by having a free population

What did Alexander II do in 1858-59?

Toured the countryside making pro emancipation speeches to nobles

Who did the 1861 emancipation edict apply to?

Privately owned serfs

When did state owned serfs gain emancipation?

1866

1861 Emancipation Edict

Serfs got land and freedom, nobles got compensation

What did freed serfs have to pay?

Redemption payments

Redemption payments

Payments for land to the government for 49 years

What did peasants paying redemption payments have to do

Remain in their Mir until all payments made

What was the Mir responsible for

Giving allotments, controlling farming, taxes

What did Volosts do (1863)

Supervised mirs with their own jurisdictions for peasants

How many peasants remained obligated to landlords until redemption in 1881?

15 percent

Which peasants did well in land allocations

Kulaks

What did kulaks do

Bought extra land for surplus grain to export

What did other peasants who sold allocations or got passports do?

Got jobs in industrialising cities

How did some landowners profit more out of emancipation?

Used compensation to get out of debt

Why did many peasants feel cheated?

Land allocations weren’t fair and were inherited between many sons

Why did subsidence farming and technical backwardness arise?

The Mir was a highly traditional institution

Statistics for the mirs hindering technical development

In 1878 only 50 percent of peasants produced a grain surplus

When did Alexander II reform the military?

1874-75

Who reorganised the military

Dimitri Milyutin

Why was the army reformed?

To create a smaller, proficient, cheaper army

From what age was conscription made compulsory in the military?

21

What was the length of serviced reduced from and to?

From 25 to 15 years of active service

How were punishments in the military adjusted?

Became less severe

How were lives of soldiers improved?

Military colonies abandoned, better healthcare

What new aspects were introduced to the military?

Modern weaponry and a new command structure

What were set up for better training?

Military colleges for non nobles

What did mass army education campaigns in the 1870s-90s do?

Improved literacy rates

What did some nobles do to do with conscription?

Found substitutes to serve in their place

What other problems did the military possess

Supply and leadership

Why did Alexander II reform the local governments

To replace the rights of the former serf owning gentry

What powers were zemstva given in Alexander II’s reforms

Improve public services, develop industry and administer relief

What did the establishment of a government at local level do?

Raise the hopes for a representative National Assembly

What were the zemstva supposed to be made up of

Men who understood the locality and its needs

What percentage of the vote in the district volosts was to go to the peasants?

40%

Problems with zemstva reforms: taxes

They had no control over state and local taxes

Problems with zemstva reforms: Provincial governments

They appointed officials and could overturn zemstvo opinions

Problems with zemstva reforms: Intelligentsia

Attracted some members of the intelligentsia

What would intelligentsia members do in zemstva meetings

Debate political issues, criticise central government

Reasons for judicial reform: System flaws

Originally no jury, lawyers or witness examinations

Reasons for judicial reform: Guilt

Accused were considered guilty until proven innocent

Alexander II improvements to the judicial system: Equality

Equality before the law established