Specific notes for every section of Tsarist and Communist Russia History A-level AQA course. Won’t need any other resources if you remember the key details and facts on this document, coming from an A* student from 2024 A-level exams.
Autocracy in 1855:
. Political:
- Autocracy, Police state, Cossacks
- Tsar head of Orthodox Church and his imperial edicts were law, only 35-60 advisors
- 14 level bureaucracy, corruption, worlds largest 1.5 million soldier army, 25 years, army and
navy 45% of budget
. Social:
- Emphasis on localism and lack of national consciousness
- Urban artisans limited nobility made-up less than 1% peasants 90% half serves 7% domestic
servants 100 nationalities in Russian state direct and indirect taxes nobility exempt
. Economic:
- 11 to 1 village to town 2 to one in Britain inhospitable land poor communication
- Surf based economy cottage industries strip farming payment in kind no internal market
demand no capital accumulation
- Main exporter of agricultural produce agricultural growth in West more competition
. Crimean war:
- 1853 battle of sinope siege of Sebastopol 60,000 allied forces
- 1855 tsar Nicholas dies
- 1856 Treaty of Paris Armistice in Crimea
. Impact:
- Humiliation 500,000 dead Navy lost access to Black Sea
- Poor transport and communication sheer size of Russia no industrial revolution
- Terrible leadership not enough resources backwardness of Russia
- One rifle for every two soldiers 200 metre range British and French 500 metre range
Alexander II:
. Causes for reform:
- Crimean war Nicholas personal experience moral reputation serfdom caused backwardness
- Only 60,000 of 1.5 million organised and equipped to fight war minister D milutin supporter
of emancipation economy underdeveloped increased famine heavy taxation and no
modernization
. Emancipation:
- 1861 edict of emancipation issued 15% peasants temporarily obligated until 1881
- Non state land designated to nobles personal freedom Redemption payments for 49 years Mi
strengthened volost’s to supervise two years temporary obligation
. Social impacts:
- 1861 647 peasant riots 70 peasants killed
- 1860 to 1897 50% rise in rural population
- Landlords lost 1/3 of land restriction on travel
- 1878 50% capable of producing surplus
. Political impacts:
- Elected zemstvo create it powers of Mia extended
- Growth of liberalism however most land owners conservative asked for compensation and
greater political power
,. Economic impacts:
- Transitioned capitalist economy encouraged growth of railways banking industry and cities
- Mia restricted urbanisation forced primitive farming methods 1861 quarter of farms not self
self-sufficient
- Redemption payments restricted agricultural production and weakened market for industrial
goods
. Local government reforms: 1864- 70
- Zemsta voce established voting through electoral colleges provisional governor had power
over them stevo dominated by intelligencia
- Town councils got power to improve public services 1870
- Did not represent all parts of society search left out National Assembly called senseless
dream by Alex 2nd opposition turned to extreme methods EG peoples will
. Judiciary reforms: 1864
- Volost courts peasants innocent till proven guilty open court cases
- Judges given improved training however still selected by tsar
- Local justice of peace elected every three years trial by jury not extended to Poland military
military courts remained juries sympathised with guilty sometimes
. Education reforms: 1863 to 64
- Alexander golovin in minister for education
- Universities govern themselves schooling responsibilities transferred to zemstvo university
open to public women allowed to study some subjects lead to radical thinkers
- 10,000 1870s students in universities
. Military reforms 1874-75:
- Dimitri mill U tin reorganised army new command structure conscription for all classes
length of service 15 years active 10 years reserveMilitary colleges literacy improved
- Lost in 1905 and World War One officer class remained largely aristocratic
. Alexander II later years:
- Death of his heir suffering with life became aloof and less inclined to resist reactionary
conservatives
- Dimitri Tolstoy administer of education pyotr shuvalov head of that section Constantine Palin
Minister of Justice
. Education:
- Dempster ‘s powers over education removed church regained authority
- Universities traditional curriculum censorship censorship tightened teaching training colleges
. Police:
- Shuvalov strengthen police increase persecution of ethnic minorities
- Palin increased searches and arrests 1879 emergency powers to prosecute and exile political
offenders
- Show trials backfired 1878 transferred back to special courts
, - Sympathy of juries Vera zoz lish defence lawyers passionate speeches illegally printed
. Loris Melikov constitution:
- French Revolution Response widening democratic consultation
- Count Mikhail loris melikov appointed minister of internal affairs
- Released political prisoners relax censorship removed unpopular salt tax third section
abolished zemstvo unrestricted establishment of Ochrona
- 1880 loris melikov report recommend it debate over state decrees by elected representatives
- Alexander II accepted and signed but assassinated
. Alexander III: 1881 to 1894
- Fearful of revolutionary action traditional tsarist views rain began with hanging off fathers
assassinators
- 1881 manifesto of unshakeable autocracy And issue the law on exceptional measures
allowed commander in chief to take control of locality using military police courts an
arbitrary powers
. Judicial reforms:
- 1885 decree for Minister of Justice to exercise greater control
- 1887 ministry could hold closed quote sessions property and educational qualifications for
jurors raised
- 1889 ministry responsible for appointment of town judges
- 1889 volost courts put under direct control of land captains in countryside and judges in
town
. Local government reforms:
- Land captain state appointed office created in 1889 Held power over zemstvo responsible for
law and enforcement in countryside could ignore judicial processes
- Act in 1890 change election arrangements xem stava reduced peasant vote government
more power over them stevo zemstvo move focus on social services then political
. Policing reforms:
- Department of police led by 1881 to 84 and after 1884
- Krone investigated and monitored everyone especially communist socialists and trade
unionists
- Number of police increased new branches set up drive to recruit spies counter spies and
infiltrates
- 1882 statute on police surveillance any area of empire could be area of subversion police
agents could search arrest detain question in prison or exile anyone arrested people had no
right to legal representation
. Education reforms:
- 1884 university charter education ministry appointed staff based on religious moral and
patriotic orientation
- Dell yanov closed uni for women and abolished separate unique courts
- Uni life closely monitored no more than five students per group Lower class restricted to
primary
- Number of schools and number receiving education increased 1897 only 21% literate
. Censorship reform:
- Tolstoy established government committee in 1882 which issued temporary regulations
, - Allowed newspapers to be closed down life bans on editors and publishers sensors more
active all literary publications had to be officially approved theatre art and culture
russification enforced
. Impact:
- 1881 hello produce redemption fees payable in 37 provinces
- 1885 poll tax abolished introduction of inheritance tax to help lower class
- 1883 peasants land bank and performing factory registration introduction of right to appeal
to higher courts forestalling rebellion
. Ethnic minorities:
- 100 different ethnic groups asserting distinctive identities
- Polish nationalism and rebellion in 1830 1840s Finnish language pressure group and local
language newspapers found in Baltic regions
- Russian determination to assert national superiority
. Russification:
- Influenced by Papa John’s staff Alexander the third engaged in cultural russification
- Finland 1892 diet reorganised in order to weaken political influence use of Russian language
demanded independent Postal Service abolished Russian coinage replaced local currency
- Poland 1885 Polish National Bank closed schools and universities teaching all subjects except
Polish language and religion in Russian administration of Poland changed curbing
independence next time
- Ukraine language limited in 1883
- Military service extended into previously exempt areas
Adherence to Orthodox Church encouraged by special measures of support 37,000 lutherans
converted to orthodoxy in Baltic region
- All Russian Orthodox missionary society work to convert heathens and Muslims including
force baptisms
- From 1883 other religions except orthodoxy not allowed to build place of worship wear
religious dress or spread religious propaganda
. Impacts:
- Resistance 1888 322 case of mass disturbance in 61 out of 92 provinces trouble swiftly
curbed military employed in 51 cases
- Cause resentment among more educated and wealthy fins polls and Baltic Germans
- Supporters believed they were uniting Russia for greater good
- More generally believed that ratification was misguided policy
- National minorities more persistent wealthier citizens emigrated lots of people joined
opposition groups
. Anti-semitism:
- 5 million Jews in Russia confined to pale settlement The Polish revolt Anti-Semitism
encouraged encouraged by Orthodox Church blamed for Alexander II’s assassination
- Jewish programmes 1881 to 84 may have started due to business competition or highly
probable encouraged by ochrona
- Authorities did little to curb violence holy league organisation coordinated early attacks but
banned in 1882
- 16 major cities affected Jewish property burn shops and businesses destroyed and many
incidents of rape and murder
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