history russia

• autocrat


  a ruler who has absolute power
• westernisers


  wanted to copy western ways, abadoning slavic traditions and providing representative assemblies
• slavophiles


  take pride in the distinctive russian traditions and culture and wanted a consultative assembly
• alexander's intentions


  reform russia to elevate its status again
• what year was the emancipation of the serfs

  1861
• justifications behind emancipation


  moral case

  risk of revolt

  crimean war

  economic reasons
• the moral case


  wrong to own someone as possession; it demeaned the serf owner and serf
• risk of revolt


  increase in peasant revolts since 1840s, was worrying because peasants made majority of the army
• crimean war


  war drew attention to how backwards russias army was
• economic reasons


  economists such as Adam Smith noted that free labour was more productive than forced labour
• hopes for emancipation


  boost economy and increase peasantrys faith in Tsarism
• emancipation statutes


  february 1861

  serfdom abolished

  given land to work

  have to make annual redemption payments over 49 years to pay for land at 6% interest

  peasants still under control of the mir
• consequences of emancipation


  peasants received less land then worked for, best land reserved for nobility

  - peasants felt cheated thought 'land belonged to those who worked for it'

  powers of the Mir strengthened so peasantry no longer tied to nobles but now the Mir

  nobility left angered felt hadnt been properly compensated

  peasants meant to be free to own property, get involved w economic market and political life, instead remained segregated tied by Mir unable to move freely
• Zemstva

  Local government bodies introduced in 1864
• autocrat


  a ruler who has absolute power
• westernisers


  - wanted to copy western ideas

  - abandoning slavic traditions

  - providing representative assemblies
• slavophiles


  - take pride in the distinctive russian traditions and culture

  - wanted a consultative assembly
• alexander's intentions


  reform russia to elevate its status again
• what year was the emancipation of the serfs

  1861
• justifications behind emancipation


  - moral case

  - risk of revolt

  - crimean war

  - economic reasons
• the moral case


  wrong to own someone as possession; it demeaned the serf owner and serf
• risk of revolt


  increase in peasant revolts since 1840s, was worrying because peasants made majority of the army
• crimean war


  war drew attention to how backwards russias army was
• economic reasons


  economists such as Adam Smith noted that free labour was more productive than forced labour
• hopes for emancipation


  boost economy and increase peasantrys faith in Tsarism
• emancipation statutes


  -february 1861

  - serfdom abolished

  - serfs given land to work

  - have to make annual redemption payments over 49 years to pay for land at 6% interest

  - peasants still under control of the mir
• consequences of emancipation


  - peasants received less land then worked for, best land reserved for nobility - peasants felt cheated thought 'land belonged to those who worked for it'

  - land owners sold land above market values- estimated that landowners retained 2/3 land whilst peasants received 1/3

  - powers of the Mir strengthened so peasantry no longer tied to nobles but now the Mir

  - nobility left angered felt hadnt been properly compensated

  - peasants meant to be free to own property, get involved w economic market and political life, instead remained segregated tied by Mir unable to move freely
• milyutin brothers names


  Nicholas and Dmitri
• nicholas


  gained praise for ideas

  became Deputy Minister of Interior 1858 then drafted Emancipation Edict- then dismissed
• dmitri


  in the army, drove reform

  - opponent of serfdom freed own serfs before emancipation

  -1861 became war minister and implemented reform for over 20 years
• local government 1864


  zemstva
• what was zemstva?


  elected councils to run aspects of local and provincial government- for example, schools, roads and health
• what did the zemstva do

  improved roads, primary schools- employed more teachers and doctors
• what did the zemstva do

  created some social stability