Alexander III

Alexander III

1. Alexander II

   • Emancipation of serfs
     • + Freedom, modern
     • - Had to pay redemption payments for 49 years
     • - Loss of free living
   • Zemstvas
     • + Distribution of power
     • Elected by wealthy
   • Jury
     • Fair trials
   • Access to primary/secondary education for all
     • + Education widespread
     • - Radical thinking
   • Relaxed censorship
     • + More information to people
     • - Criticised authority
   • Known as Tsar liberator
   • Assassinated by the people's will on his way to sign for a reform
     • Showed unpopularity of Tsarist system despite him being a reformist

2. Unprepared for Tsardom as a child

   • Pobedonostev taught him in 1865 after his brother died
     • Blamed liberals for political extremism and Alexander II death
     • Hostile to other nationalities in Empire
     • Wanted to turn Russia into a police state
     • Influence on Alexander III

3. Reforms

   • 1883 Improved working conditions for women and children
   • 1881 Continued with emancipation of serfs
   • Peasant's land bank
     • loans to peasants to help them purchase land
   • 1889 Finance Minister Vyshnegradsky offered money to peasants to migrate to Siberia
     • Make use of land for crops
   • Laws to reduce tax burden on peasants
     • Increased Tsar popularity from peasants

4. Reactions

   • Russification
     • All official documents in Russian
     • Other languages forbidden in schools
     • Angered minorities
     • Unified Russia
   • Censorship increased
   • University fees increased
     • Excluded everyone but very wealthy
     • Prevent radical thinking
   • 1884 Universities under government control
   • Chose who governed Zemvsta
     • Increased power
   • 1890 Chose who could be jury members
     • Increased power
   • Jews had no access to education and peasants had no access to secondary schools
     • Reduce radical thinking and uprisings
   • Primary schools under Church control
   • Voting rights restricted

5. Known as a reactionary

6. Reaffirmed autocratic power of the Tsar

   • Repression is different to other European countries

7. Jews joined radical organisations