Reforms

• • Alex II: Economy (treasury), Judiciary (trial by Jury, higher pay to reduce bribery) Emancipation of the serfs, Local government (Zemstva & town Duma) Military reform (promotion based on training not loyalty to the Tsar. Church, Education (more children in primary schools) Censorship was relaxed as part of the liberal measurements.
  • Alex III: no significant reforms
  • Nich II: October Manifesto: Creation of the Duma. Stolypin’s reforms (peasant land bank to help peasants buy land)
• • Prov Gov: Gave citizens liberal rights & released political prisoners to gain political support.
  • Lenin: War communism (grain produced to be handed to the state where shared according to need). New economic policy (selling grain for profit)
  • Stalin: 5YP – industrialise Russia into a military power how by demand of war economy. & 2nd 5YP. Collectivisation (bringing small farms together to improve efficiency)
  • Khrushchev: Relax in censorship becoming more liberal, Virgin Land police , Industrial policy (moving industry to making luxury/consumer products & used incentives.)
• Emancipation of the Serfs (1861): Came from above so wouldn’t come from below.

  Meant peasants were no longer bound to the land they worked. This changed Society.

  Used to control population so peasants could move to cities as they were meant to be a mobile work force.
• October Manifesto (1905): Forced from Below; Russo-Japanese war, economic crisis = Bloody Sunday. A lot more social unrest as assassinations of key political figures, strikes, naval munity (Potenikin)

  Changed nature of the Gov by introducing Duma, a representative gov. To keep the population happy so the Empire didn’t collapse.
• Fundamental Law (1905): Reform from above to supress below.

  Still gave Tsar complete control over everything regardless of the Duma.

  Article 87 – allowed proposed legislation to go straight to the Tsar without the Duma.

  Law states supreme autocracy power belongs to the emperor of all Russia.
• Constituent Assembly (Nov 1918): reform from below to avoid opposition.

  Change who would run Russia by choosing party to govern. Bolsheviks came second to SR’s & therefore used Red army to close the assembly as based on old regime. Attempted to control & repress opposition which failed.
• Stalin's Constitution (1924): Came from Above.

  Changed Governance of Russia, Presidium of Sovnarkom, Soviet of Nationalities, Supreme soviets.

  Done to keep people happy of the illusion of more freedom for the people. Helped implement economic policies & deal with internal enemies.
• The Prov Gov used reform to control opponents as they gave liberal freedoms & released political prisoners based on the idea this would help gain them support from the public. These measures increased opposition to the government as they were overthrown by the Bolsehviks.