TSR Wiki > Study Help > Subjects and Revision > Revision Notes > History > Czar Alexander II (1855-1881)
Russia was the most backward of the 19th century major powers (had little industry, an autocratic gov. w/ no constitution and mainly an illiterate peasant pop.)
- Brought the Crimean War (against Franco-British forces) to an end.
- Instituted ‘Liberalization’ processes
- Edict of Emancipation (1861): peasants had no obligations to nobles / peasants were given 50% of the agric. land / the nobles were compensated through taxes for the loss of land / the commune (Mir) became a basis for tax collection & distribution of land
- The establishment of the Zemstvo, which was elected local councils with the resp. for collecting taxes, building projects, levying rates…
- Trial by jury (in public) was introduced / censorship lessened
- Town councils were established (1870)
- The army was reformed (conscription for all classes — 1870), service time was reduced, and training and education facilities were improved.
- The national budget became subject to audit and transparency / a state bank was established. (transparency was not extended to the national gov. and the Czar remained an autocrat)
- Social protest:
- The Populist (mainly students and intellectuals) / in 1866 a student attempted to assassinate the Czar à tighter control of education / reduction in # of poor at Univs. / increased censorship / power of Zemstvo reduced / increased activity of the Secret police / political trials were taken to military court.
- The Land and Liberty Party — rebellion from below (the peasants) led by the anarchist Michael Bakunin
- Evaluation of his reign:
- Serfdom was ended
- Reduction in the power of nobles
- Develop. of industry.
- Failure to carry out political change à basis for revolution
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