To what extent did Russia make social, economic and political progress in the period 1855-1906?
To what extent did Russia make social, economic and political progress in the period 1855-1906?
Until the Industrial Revolution in Russia between the years 1890-1903, Russia was an extremely backwards country economically and socially. It was autocratic and very under-developed. Although there was no significant progress until the Industrial Revolution, after the Crimean War when Alexander II came to power in 1855 as the new Tsar, he brought in his own social, economic and political reforms which signified his reign as the “Epoch of Great Reforms”. His reforms made his reign seem as a turning point for Russian history. In this essay I will be discussing what reforms were made socially, politically and economically to Russian society between the years 1855-1906, and will come to a conclusion as to how much progress was actually made.
The Emancipation of the Serfs in 1861 was the biggest social reform made by Alexander II. 80% of Russian society consisted of Serfs, which was seen as a threat for the Tsar as he feared a revolution coming from below, and so he decided to free the Serfs from Serfdom to ensure the maintenance of Russian autocracy. The ‘Tsar Liberator’ set approximately 44 million peasants free by Edict. Setting the Serfs free meant that they now no longer had to work on any Noble’s land to earn a living, and were allowed to move from the Estates they were currently living in. Serfs were also given the right to own their own land, which gave them an incentive to work harder and help themselves financially as well as the Russian economy. This reform was seen as a big step towards progress and modernisation, since it was the Russian answer to the British and North American Slavery Abolition Act of 1833. It also meant that the Peasantry social class had now been abolished in Russia and the Russian society was moving upwards in terms of social classes. Another social reform made to Russian society a few years after the freedom of the Serfs was to do with
Until the Industrial Revolution in Russia between the years 1890-1903, Russia was an extremely backwards country economically and socially. It was autocratic and very under-developed. Although there was no significant progress until the Industrial Revolution, after the Crimean War when Alexander II came to power in 1855 as the new Tsar, he brought in his own social, economic and political reforms which signified his reign as the “Epoch of Great Reforms”. His reforms made his reign seem as a turning point for Russian history. In this essay I will be discussing what reforms were made socially, politically and economically to Russian society between the years 1855-1906, and will come to a conclusion as to how much progress was actually made.
The Emancipation of the Serfs in 1861 was the biggest social reform made by Alexander II. 80% of Russian society consisted of Serfs, which was seen as a threat for the Tsar as he feared a revolution coming from below, and so he decided to free the Serfs from Serfdom to ensure the maintenance of Russian autocracy. The ‘Tsar Liberator’ set approximately 44 million peasants free by Edict. Setting the Serfs free meant that they now no longer had to work on any Noble’s land to earn a living, and were allowed to move from the Estates they were currently living in. Serfs were also given the right to own their own land, which gave them an incentive to work harder and help themselves financially as well as the Russian economy. This reform was seen as a big step towards progress and modernisation, since it was the Russian answer to the British and North American Slavery Abolition Act of 1833. It also meant that the Peasantry social class had now been abolished in Russia and the Russian society was moving upwards in terms of social classes. Another social reform made to Russian society a few years after the freedom of the Serfs was to do with