High grade Alevel History (Tsarist and Communist Russia, 1855–1964) essay on ‘The political authority of the regime was weakened by the reforms of Alexander II but restored by Alexander III’.
‘The political authority of the regime was weakened by the reforms of Alexander II but
restored by Alexander III’
Chronological: 1855-1894
Topic: political authority of the regime
Analysis: was the political authority of the regime weakened by AII’s reforms and restored
by AIII?
Alexander II’s reforms did weaken the political authority of the regime as they led to a
growth in critical views and opposition within Russia and to an extent undermined the
autocracy. It can also be argued that Alexander III did restore political authority through
stepping up the repression and reversing many of Alexander II’s reforms. However, this was
only short-term as due to Alexander II having allowed for more liberal and critical thought
alongside the structural changes that were occurring in Russia, the regime was unable to
hold onto its political authority that it had at the start of Alexander II’s rule.
Alexander II’s emancipation of the serfs arguably weakened the political authority of the
regime as it failed to fulfil its aim of quelling peasant dissatisfaction and hastened the
decline of the nobility. This weakened the regime as the Tsar was reliant on provincial
governors (nobility) due to Russia being under governed, and by upsetting the nobility
Alexander II lost some of his natural supporters who contributed to his political authority.
Although some nobles were able to get out of debt or make profit in industry, the majority
lost their influence and bankruptcies continued. Reactionary conservatives believed that
Alexander II’s reforms had gone too far by weakening the nobility’s influence, which the
regime relied on. Furthermore, emancipation resulted in an increase in rural violence and
there was also a wave of student protests with 647 riots in the first four months after.
However, it could be argued that Alexander II had little choice but to emancipate the serfs
and saw it as a way of controlling and maintaining his authority to prevent serfdom
‘abolishing itself from below’. Nevertheless, emancipation was a significant structural
change in Russia and was irreversible, marking the growth in opposition and criticism of the
regime.
Alexander II’s reforms did… (preview ends)
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