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The Czars of Russia: Alexander II and Alexander III

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The Czars of Russia: Alexander II and Alexander III
Compare and Contrast the domestic policies of Alexander II, and Alexander III
Tsar Alexander II and his son Alexander III were two different minded leaders who both sought for the best of Russia by changing the ancient ways of Russian beliefs and modernising them to allow Russia to become a world power once again. The father and sons ways of thinking where completely different as the father went for a more liberal approach for Russia, while his son had a conservative view when changing Russia. But both the Tsars’ believed in Russification and the emancipation of the serf’s in-order to allow Russia’s economy to grow and match that of other European nations. Though both had their differences as Alexander II believed that the allowance of a freer populace would help solidify Autocratic control, which would in-turn allow Russia to grow. While his son Alexander III believed that the oppression of the populace would solidify the autocratic power. Both Tsars knew that in-order to continue the Russian empire that drastic domestic policies where in need to solidify power, and control.
Russification is the process of attempting to suppress the local characteristics of various regions within the empire, and to spread Russian characteristics to all Tsar Subjects. Both Alexander II and the III used Russification during their reigns on the throne, during these periods the success can be questioned for both Tsars as both sustained success and failure. Tsar Alexander II was not a lover of Russification as he believed by freeing the populace of Russia legally and agriculturally he would not need to crack down upon the dominions of Russia. His son though was the complete contrast who began his reign by banning every other language than Russian, allowing pogroms upon the Jews, and banning of different churches unless they were Russian Orthodox. Though the reason why both Tsars had different levels of Russification was because of the domestic state during both reigns. Under

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