1. The Decline and Fall of the Romanov Dynasty Part 2 Case Study Modern History Preliminary Course By S. Angelo History Head Teacher East Hills Girls Technology High School 2007

2. FORCES OF CHANGE & FORCES OF CONTINUITY Intelligentsia Education Revolutionary Ideas Liberal ideas of Tsars Gradual growth of middle class Gradual growth of working class War Industrialisation Nationalism among oppressive minority groups Illiterate peasantry Censorship Conservative ideas of nobles and peasants Repressive policies of the Tsars Weak middle class due to economic structure Weak working class due to no industrial development Poor military leadership and lack of industrial development Serfdom and bonds which tied peasants to the land Russian nationalism and Russification policies of the Tsars

3. Liberalism government should have limited powers Rights and freedoms of individuals should be protected Individuals should act as responsible citizens Freedom of thought Supply and demand will control prices and interest rates Linked to democracy and capitalism – freedom of choice by individuals Priority of the individual not the state

4. From the French Revolution to Alexander II Liberal governments had formed in Europe – Britain -> Bill of Rights 1689 (James II) CM – France -> Charter of Liberties 1814 -> Louis XVIII -> July Revolution 1830 -> Republic CM – Italy -> various movements -> Carbonari V Ferdinand IV (Naples & Sicily 1820) – Germany -> Metternich system (38 States) -> Carlsbad Decrees 1819 – Russia resisted any attempts at Liberalism Alexander I -> appearance only -> council set up to make laws was subject to his decisions -> Decembrist Revolt Nicholas I introduced measures to crush liberal ideas –secret police; network of informers -> Third Section; western ideas banned; -> Crimean War (1853 – 1856) Alexander II -> signed Treaty of Paris 1856 – shattered illusion of imperial power; revealed corruption; highlighted opposition to imperial rule

5. 19 TH Century Attitudes 1846: Belinsky – “The people feel the need for potatoes, but none whatsoever of a constitution – that is desired only by educated townspeople who are quite powerless” 1826 - 1855: Third Section – You could not Discuss government, church, peasant uprisings, working man, strikes, emigration, army prisons, censorship, anarchism, schools, civil marriage, fights, theft by officials Use the words constitution, socialism, political freedom, meetings, bureaucracy, reaction, revolution

6. 1825 Decembrists’ Revolt Alexander II’s death Decembrists – a group of young officers who had served in the Napoleonic wars – Mostly indebted landowners – Supported abolition of serfdom – Emphasised political reform – Wanted power for the landowners – 14 th December 1825 – Failed - lack of popular support, poor organisation, divided leadership

7. 1861 Edict of Emancipation READ THE EXTRACT FROM THE EDICT Alexander aimed to curtail some of the unrest Freedom not full civic rights Aim was to replace class privilege with legal equality Did not really happen until after 1905 REALITY – Until this time about 90% of the land was held by the imperial family & nobles & millions of peasants worked the land – The edict freed the peasants and divided the arable land One part was retained by the landowners As second part - less fertile - was given to village communities to be held in trust - peasants paid for this in instalments over 49 yrs Bondage to a landlord was replaced by a huge debt Division of land meant decreasing plots and a concurrent inability to make payments

8. PROGRESS Zemstvo – 1864 – district & provincial assembly – elected – DISTRICT = relatively equal representation from nobles & peasants – PROVINCE = majority nobles – Provided the basis for training the people in self government – Local communities had responsibilities of welfare, education, public works – primary schooling; open university – Law reform led to independent judicial system; laws applied to all classes equally; but summary arrests could still occur – 1874 – all males subject to military service = harsh training – Compensation for land was turned into commercial agriculture - grain – Railways helped Industry developed – pig iron production doubled between 1862 – 1886 Russian society under Alexander II suffered from less inequality – Grievances still existed – nobles lost prestige & land & free labour – Growth of middle class – education; expansion of trade & commerce – However, riots still occurred – the people were still not satisfied – relaxing of censorship allowed the rise of radical political opposition