Chapter 22.

5
Russia: Reform and Reaction
Alexander I, Nicholas I, Alexander II, Alexander III, Nichols II
 Social structure
- Biggest obstacle to progress
- Boyars (aristocracy) little incentive to change
- Tsars mostly maintained autocracy
Serf, owned by a landowner, have no freedom and no rights, similar to slaves
 Political tensions
By 1825, Russia’s nobles were among the most cultured, diverse, educated
Alexander I, made some liberal reforms
Ex: advocated for limited liberty
Yet, still autocratic

Upon Alexander’s death on Dec.1, 1825, army prepared to support his brother, Constantine
Constantine renounced his claim, and Nicholas I was set to accede to the throne
 Decemberist Revolt (1825)
Army protests NICHOLAS
Professed loyalty to Constantine and a British-style constitution
Nicholas called in his own army-9000 men.
Hours later, Nicholas called a cavalry charge, which slipped on ice,
Decembrists broke up to avoid slaughter
 The Crimean War (1853-1856)
- France, Great Britain, Sardinia (Part of Italy), Ottomans (lost Greece and Egypt), fought
Russia
- Fought over “rights of minority Christians” in the Holy Land
- Alternative reason: because GB/FR didn’t want to let Russia take Ottoman land
- Russia lost in embarrassing fashion: military was corrupt, not modernized, not enough
railroad to supply it, etc.
 Emancipation
Tsar Alexander II inherited after Nicholas I died during Crimean War, 1855
Due to embarrassment of Crimea, pressure from liberals, students mounted
In 1861, Alexander issued the Emancipation Manifesto
Serfs were granted rights of citizens, could marry without permission, own property, and buy land
However, most received less land than needed
Household serfs were given freedom, but no land
 Other Reforms
Alexander II also set up zemstvos
- Local, elected assemblies
- Responsible for road repair, agriculture, schools
Where did these organizations get money?
 Legal Reforms
Trial by Jury
Reduced censorship
Shortened term of military service
Discipline required to be slightly less harsh
Encouraged industry
 Reaction, Pt1
Many Russians dissatisfied
Peasants needed more land
Pt2
Alexander II is assassinated by social radical group on March 13, 1881
 Alexander III: Reaction to the Reaction
Reverted back to the old ways
Restored harsh rules of Nicholas I
Restored censorship, freedom of press
Increased secret police
Exiled critics
 Persecution
Ukraine and Poland both had historically large Jewish populations
Alexander III decided to have crackdowns of Jews
- Limited no. allowed in uni./professions, restricted them to certain locations
Encouraged pogroms

Nicholas II
 Industrialization
Focused on building railroads
Foreign investment supported Trans-Siberian Railroad
- Health problems rise, diseases spread immediately
Distraction wars to keep ppl distracted from internal society
 Russo-Japanese War
Russia wanted a warm water port on the Pacific
Japan saw Russia as a threat to their plans of expansion into Asia
They fought a little war over territory around the Yalu River/Liaodong Peninsula
Japan won the war easily
Russia 这个时候已经输了两场战争了，crimean 和 japan 的
 如果你是 Russian
自己的国家被一个无名小国打败了。工业革命导致了疾病的发生
 Bloody Sunday
Toward Winter Palace of St. Petersburg
Marchers protested for justice, freedom, constitution
Hundreds were killed
 Although the conflict is not that violence at first, it’s the soldier who turn violent on protesting
ppl
 Revolution of 1905
Massive workers went on strikes
Workers took over govt. in some cities
Minority groups agitated for independence
 Reaction
Nicholas II responded by October Manifesto
Established the DUMA, an elected legislature
 Nicholas II dissolved the Duma, that only lasted for 10 months, appointed a new, conservative
PM, Peter Stolypin
Strengthened education, local govt
Voting laws were rewritten