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Opposition Under the Rule of Tsar Alexander II Complete Revision Notes

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Complete revision material for the opposition to the Tsarist rule under Tsar Alexander II of Russia, suitable for both A Level and GCSE students.

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Uploaded on June 30, 2022
Number of pages 7
Written in 2021/2022
Type Other
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reforms
alexander ii
alex ii
alexander 2
alexander 2nd
social
industrial
economic
agricultural
change
continuety
tsarism
tsar
tsarist
communism
autocratic
russian revolution
revolution
dictatorshi
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Alexander II Reforms

Why was inevitable that Alexander II would continue to reform in Russia after the Emancipation of
the Serfs in 1861?

There was the need to supply political structure after the removal of Serfdom which caused political
vacuum leading to further reform in several areas of Russian life

Local Government Reform

1st January 1864  new local councils – Zemstva’s were created

Role of Zemstva’s was…

To look after local matters including  infrastructure, agriculture, medical care, prisons, schools,
local emergencies

Zemstva’s = in countryside

Zemstva’s were elected using a system of electoral colleges  each societal group (nobles, peasants,
merchants, church families etc…) elected members of an ‘Electoral College’ to vote for them

 This system weighted vote in favour of the nobility (made up 42% of population) as the
members of the Electoral College were often part of the upper classes and would vote for
nobility in the Zemstva’s

Zemstva members between 1865-67 = 42% Nobility & 38% peasants

Power = limited…

 No control over state or provincial taxes
 Still largely state controlled
 Chairman had to be officially approved
 Responsibility of law and order remained in hands of centrally appointed governor who
could overturn decisions of the Zemstvo (the people in the Zemstva’s)
 Zemstva’s couldn’t act together to prevent them becoming too powerful and being able to
challenge autocracy

Whilst very limited  in context of autocratic Russia = major reform:

 Basic idea of representative
1870 reform was extended to towns where elected town democracy
councils called Dumas were set up  All entitled to a vote
 New level of government
Dumas = in towns that could deal with local
issues not had before
(famine relief etc…)

Before creation of local government = landowners were the only local government = very unfair and
unjust for Serfs  needed reform

, Educational Reform

Alexander appointed Minister for Education (1862-67)  Alexander Golovnin

Responsibility for education transferred from conservative Russian Orthodox Church to the
Zemstva’s

Universities could govern themselves

Primary & secondary education was extended  new ‘Modern Schools’ set up at secondary level
for those who didn’t want traditional education offered in the gymnaziya (traditional secondary
schools)

Students from both gymnaziya and ‘Modern Schools’ could continue to university

Schools made open to all regardless of class or sex  1870: girls could attend secondary school for
non-vocational courses

Between 1856-80…

 number of primary schools rose from 8,000 to 23,000
 number of children in primary education from 400,000 to over 1million

by the 1870’s…

 number of students at university increased from 3,600 to 10,000

impact of reform

 GROWTH IN RADICAL THINKING

Exposure to new radical ideas which challenged autocracy  led to radical organisations which
wanted change

Too successful for Alexander II’s liking = REVERSED SOME REFORMS AFTER 1866

Legal Reform

 Needed as result of Emancipation Edict

Equality before the law established

Single system of local, provincial, and national courts  separate set of volost courts = set to deal
with peasants

Accused = presumed innocent until proven guilty & were entitled to a lawyer if they wanted

Criminal cases heard before barristers and a jury, selected from a list of property owners

Judges = appointed by Tsar and were given improved training and pay

Courts = open to the public and press could report their proceedings

Local justices of peace were elected every 3 years by the Zemstva and were independent from
political control

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