Revision - Session 2

1
Revision - Session 2

• Russia 1855-1917
• Reform

2
Russia in 1855

• Largest of the Great Powers in the 19th C
• 18th C Russian rulers tried to make it more
  Westernised
• 19thC this trend was reversed
• Russians were proud of being Slavs (therefore
  different from other Europeans)
• Pan-Slav movement developed

3
Russia in 1855

• Government of Russia in the hands of the Tsar
• He was an autocrat with complete power
• No parliament and no criticism
• If there were revolts the Tsar used force to
  crush them
• He could use army or secret police
• He favoured the use of Cossacks (calvary units)

4
Russia in 1855

• Russia was a very backward country
• Little industry
• Transport was slow few railways
• Most important industry agriculture
• Plenty of people so no adoption of new methods
• Russian peasants serfs
• They had small plots of land for themselves but
  had to farm for their landlords and pay rents and
  taxes
• Serfs were very poor and had little freedom
• Landlords were often very rich

5
Russia in 1855

• In 1854 Russia had gone to war with Britain and
  France in the Crimea
• Russia lost 1855 as could not supply troops at
  Sevastopol
• Br and Fr could supply troops by sea
• Russia bad roads and railways
• Treaty of Paris 1856 Russia had to give up land
  on west coast of Black Sea and withdraw all
  warships from Black Sea
• Alexander II became Tsar in 1855 and had many
  problems to address. He believed in reform

6
Emancipation of Serfs

• 1856 Alex II annouces he will abolish serfdom
• Appeals to landlords for their agreement
• Offered compensation in return
• Most are opposed to it as they dont think
  compensation from government will be enough
• Plus some landlords are in debt and they dont
  want to lose their financial assets (i.e land)

7
Emancipation of Serfs

• Alex set up committees of noblemen to plan the
  changes and work out compensation etc.
• Figures were worked out Landlords would be paid
  compensation (80) from the government and serfs
  would be freed
• Edict of Emancipation 1861

8
Emancipation of Serfs

• BUT most peasants were very unhappy
• They were able to marry, trade, own property,
  take cases to court but had expected to be handed
  over all the land in the village and got very
  little
• Peasants were given the plots of land they
  already farmed on
• The rest was kept by the landowners

9
Emancipation of Serfs

• Peasants had to repay the government for cost of
  compensation
• This would last 49 years
• Land was NOT given to individuals
• Given to the MIR or commune this controlled crop
  rotation and collection of taxes and repayments
• Volost (groups of mirs) held law courts and
  controlled movement of people
• There were RIOTS in many parts of Russia when
  these conditions became known

10
Emancipation of Serfs

• Did little to free peasants
• Failed to make a bond between Alex II and the
  peasants
• Led to riots
• Made to satisfy the landowners
• In the end it was a mistake because the power lay
  in the hands of the masses (peasants and workers)

11
Reform of Local Government

• January 1864 set up district councils the
  Zemstva each council was made up of 3 sections
  rural landowners, urban property owners and
  peasants.
• Representatives from the zemstva met in
  provincial councils
• The councils looked after road building,
  education and medical services

12
Reform of Local Goverment

• In 1870 Town Councils were created with the
  reform of municipal government
• Towns were allowed self-government through
  councils elected by people owning property
• However in both cases councils were not allowed
  to communicate with each other and they were kept
  subordinate to the provincial governor

13
Reform of Law Courts

• He set up new courts
• Used trial by Jury
• Judges were paid salaries
• Less likely to be bribed

14
Reform of Army

• 1874 Army was reformed
• Everyone treated equally in terms of recruitment
• All conscripts served 6 years in army and 9 in
  the reserves

15
The final years of Alexander II

• Began to be less inclined to introduce reforms
• Did not want to do away with autocracy
• Became involved in ideas of Pan Slavism
• Thought Russia should protect Slavs in Eastern
  Europe i.e. Bulgaria
• Encouraged expansion of Russia in the East
• Founded Vladivostok on the Pacific coast
• Too concerned with threats from revolutionary
  groups
• Used secret police called Okhrana to keep law and
  order
• Killed by terrorist bomb in 1881

16
Alexander III

• Abolished many reforms of his father
• Began a policy of repression
• Began to Russify the provinces
• Reign is a step backwards
• Clung to autocracy rejects democracy

17
Nicholas II

• Alex III died in 1894
• Nicholas II was sheltered and weak willed
• He had no understanding of ordinary Russia
• He took little notice of threat from
  revolutionary groups
• Used even greater force against terrorists
• Any proposals made by zemstva were immediately
  rejected
• 1903 there were protests in Russia he took no
  notice turned into revolution in 1905

18
Nicholas II

• Survived revolution because army remain loyal
• October 1905 announces October Manifesto
• Probably never intended to keep his promises for
  a consitution and a parliament
• The parliament (Duma) met in 1906 and was closed
  after 72 days
• There were 3 more Dumas that met in the next 10
  years but each was more tightly controlled and
  had little real power
• Nicholas retained title of Autocrat
• Made laws without Dumas consent

19
Nicholas II

• No relaxation in the use or power of the Okhrana
• 1906 Peter Stolypin is appointed Prime Minister
  he tries to modernise Russia
• He abolishes the mir land-owning system and in
  future peasants would be able to own land
• Murdered in 1911 and Nicholas II did not continue
  his policies

20
Nicholas II

• From 1912 strikes and unrest becomes more common
• Nicholas becomes more unpopular
• Growing influence of Rasputin
• Tsar makes himself Commander in Chief of army
  during First World War

21
Nicholas II

• Probably didnt make more reforms because
• Russian industry developed a lot from 1910
  onwards (particularly railways, iron and steel)
• Tsars secret police (Okhrana) proved very
  effective in dealing with radicals and
  revolutionaries (i.e. Lenin leader of
  Bolsheviks - is forced to go into exile) and the
  other revolutionary groups were quite weak