In What Ways and with What Successes Did Alexander Ii Attempt to Modernise Russia and Preserve Imperial Power?
Alexander II came to the throne in March 1855 at the age of 36, having been well prepared and trained to take over from his father, Nicholas I. Due to his father's wishes on his death bed Alexander was committed to retaining the autocratic powers of the tsardom. However he was less of a disciplinarian than his father and was more open to the arguments of the other people around him. He was deeply influenced by defeat in Crimean war and by liberal ministers, Alexander II undertook extensive reforms of Russian society and government. Alexander II made an attempt to modernise Russia and preserve imperial power and in this essay I will be discussing the ways and what successes he achieve while introducing new reforms.
Firstly, Alexander II wanted to ensure that the autocracy will survive, have full power and don't pass any power to the public. His reforms were designed to modernize autocracy instead of creating an alternative system that would suit the Russian people as the country was in a very poor state. However, his reforms faced a lot of opposition and therefore led to his being unable to restrain forces that were pushing him towards a change. One of his main pushes towards modernisation was the abolition of serfdom.
In March 1861 the liberation of the serfs was officially announced and The Emancipation Edict was introduced. There were three stages to it. The first one was freedom for the surfs which meant that they had personal freedom to marry, own property, run business, travel and have legal protection. The first staged also meant that the surfs has to fulfil labour service for the next two years and the lands surveyed and valued. The second stage was temporary obligation. This meant that the peasants paid rent and were under landlord's control until they could redeem their land, charters were drawn up for each state which recorded the amount of land given to the freed surfs and remaining obligation to landowners. The non-domestic surfs were granted own
Firstly, Alexander II wanted to ensure that the autocracy will survive, have full power and don't pass any power to the public. His reforms were designed to modernize autocracy instead of creating an alternative system that would suit the Russian people as the country was in a very poor state. However, his reforms faced a lot of opposition and therefore led to his being unable to restrain forces that were pushing him towards a change. One of his main pushes towards modernisation was the abolition of serfdom.
In March 1861 the liberation of the serfs was officially announced and The Emancipation Edict was introduced. There were three stages to it. The first one was freedom for the surfs which meant that they had personal freedom to marry, own property, run business, travel and have legal protection. The first staged also meant that the surfs has to fulfil labour service for the next two years and the lands surveyed and valued. The second stage was temporary obligation. This meant that the peasants paid rent and were under landlord's control until they could redeem their land, charters were drawn up for each state which recorded the amount of land given to the freed surfs and remaining obligation to landowners. The non-domestic surfs were granted own