Tsar Alexander Ii - 1158 Words

Question: â€Å"His measures of reform did not disguise his belief in the need to maintain autocratic rule.† To what extent do you agree with this point of view? Tsar Alexander II had many reforms. He was an autocratic ruler who began his reforms in Russia in 1855. Some claim that his reforms were proof of his liberal attitude and others argue that he was primarily a traditionalist, this essay will explore to what extent both of arguments are accurate depictions of â€Å"The last great tsar.† When Alexander II came to power he was already faced with a series of problems, the Crimean war (1854-56) being a key one. Russia’s defeat in the Crimean war resulted in the realization that Russia was in fact a backward nation, and in need of†¦show more content†¦This reform encouraged a sense of responsibility within the peasant population and helped them to see they did not always have to rely on the Tsar to do things for them. The Zemstva also promoted a way of thinking that allowed people to trust that their opinions and concerns mattered and were going to be taken care of. Due to road building being improved Russia took a step forward towards advocating urbanization and a more modern nation was in the process of being formed. This urbanization meant that Russia could try and create a middle class, and therefore make Russia more industrialized. Another major reform happened in the educational systems. Alexander II was brought up in a liberal manner, he was taught subjects such as philosophy (by his tutor Pobodonostev) in which one would learn about things such as ethics. This means that it’s plausible to think that Alexander II genuinely wanted to promote a liberal attitude, and this is reflected in the educational reforms. Under Alexander’s rule universities in Russia became easier to get into, which meant more people went to university. In addition to this the attendance of secondary school children doubled, and children were starting to be taught more western subjects. On the other hand people believe that Alexander’s II reforms were just a disguise to maintain autocratic rule, and hide his trueShow MoreRelatedTo What Extent Did Alexander Ii Deserve His Title of the â€Å"Tsar Liberator?†1731 Words   |  7 PagesDoes Alexander II truly deserve the title of liberator? To liberate is to set free (a group or individual) from legal, social or political restrictions. There is evidence to suggest that he disliked serfdom. Even his father, Nicholas I, believed that serfdom was an â€Å"evil palpable to all,† and Alexander II was certainly even more liberally educated than his father. His arguably most fundamental reform was the emancipation of serfdom in 1861. As he said, â€Å"It is best to abolish serfdom from aboveRead MoreEssay on Did Alexander II deserve the title Tsar Liberator?1229 Words   |  5 Pagesï » ¿Did Alexander II deserve the title â€Å"Tsar Liberator†? Taking control of autocratic Russia in 1855, Alexander II was the successor to his father Tsar Nicolas I having been trained his entire life to take on the role. During his reign as Tsar, Alexander passed many reforms all of which varied in political, social and economic stance. His most famous reform was deemed to be that of the emancipation of the Serfs, gaining him the title ‘Tsar Liberator’ as many believed that his effort to free those whoRead MoreThe War Of The Nineteenth Century1553 Words   |  7 PagesTsar Alexander II was assassinated during the midst of a reformation movement in Russia toward the end of the nineteenth century. At this time, the Russian lower class blamed Jews for their poor living conditions. When Tsar Alexander III came into power he was paranoid of being a target of an assassination. So he created a secret police to suppress civil and revolutionary outbreaks, and also introduced anti-Semitic legislations to satisfy the enraged lower class. Government officials managed to useRead MoreComparison Between Alexander Ii and Iii Essay1572 Words   |  7 PagesCOMPARATIVE ESSAY BETWEEN ALEXANDER II AND III Tsar Alexander II and III while father and son had very different ambitions as Tsar and different view for the future of the empire. Alexander III succeeded to his father’s throne in 1894. His reign is looked upon by most historians as a time of repression that saw the undoing of many of the reforms carried out by his father. Certainly that was a time of great economic and social change but these had led, in the West of the nation, great pressureRead MoreHow Far Were Divisions Amongst Opponents Responsible for the Survival of Tsarist Rule, 1881 - 1905?805 Words   |  4 Pagesdivisions amongst opponents responsible for the survival of Tsarist rule, 1881 - 1905? Divisions of opposing groups of the Tsar were important to the survival of Tsarist Russia. However, other factors such as the church, the belief of the divine right, the army and the Okhrana were also effective in keeping the Tsar in a state of power. Firstly, the opposition groups of the Tsar were known as the Populists, the Liberals and the Marxists. Each group had its own ideas on what was needed for Russia andRead MoreThe Church of the Savior on Spilled Blood Essay913 Words   |  4 PagesIt stands on the shores of the Neva River on the site where on March 1, 1881 Tsar-Liberator Alexander II was mortally wounded by Nikolai Rysakov, a young member of the Narodnaya Volya (Peoples Will) movement. Upon Tsar’s death, Russia suffered a devastating blow to the rapid advancing economical and social foundations and sent Russia back to the days of blood and Dark Age. Russian people not only lost their beloved Tsar but lost their chances of having constitutional monarchy enforced and followedRead MoreAlexander II And The Russian Revolution897 Words   |  4 Pagesinvade. At that point, Russia knew it was time for a change and it started with Tsar Alexander II. Alexander II took over as emperor due to his fathers (Nicholas I) dea th in St. Petersburg. Some say the reason for Russia’s backward spiral was because of him. However, in 1855 the reign of Alexander II in Russia began and during his time he directed a period of political and social reforms. Some of the reforms Alexander II thought had to be changed included: education, military, government, and judicialRead MoreEssay on How Much Russia Changed from 1856-1894609 Words   |  3 Pages Alexander II realised the need to modernise Russia in order to prolong their status as a superpower. This stemmed from their defeat in the Crimean war. To modernise and industrialise Russia, a free workforce was needed and this could only be made available if people were freed from the land. This meant that Alexander II would need to somehow release the serfs from their owner’s land. Another reason for emancipation was made clear in a quote from Alexander II in March Read MoreTo What Extent Do You Consider the Emancipation of Serfs 1861 to Be a Key Turning Point in the Development of Russian Government and Society Till 2000?1466 Words   |  6 Pageseconomically and militarily at any means necessary, even exploiting it’s people. Hence it’s debatable whether the idea of freeing the peasants was even sincerely considered or whether it was done for personal aims and masked under human rights. Tsar Alexander II entered his reign during the Crimean war therefore witnessing the fundamental decline of Russia’s status of a super power as being forced to surrender from the Crimean War in January 1856 severely effected Russia’s moral, he comprehended thatRead MoreAnalysis Of Fyodor Dostoevsky s Crime And Punishment1368 Words   |  6 Pagescultural changing reforms were passed during Alexander the Seconds rule. The reforms impacted not only the culture of the time, but also the writing of many authors. Fyodor Dostoevsky was one of those authors. His book Crime and Punishment describes how life was like in the lower classes. The culture of Russia during the years 1855 to 1881 was shaped by its tsarist autocracy while the literature of Fyodor Dostoevsky evinces its cultural connection. Alex II established type of government was a monarchy