why alexander III introduced reactionary policy after 1881
Explain why Alexander III introduced reactionary policies after 1881. (12)
The years leading up to 1881 were fraught with political opposition and threats of revolution. The autocracy was being threatened and publicly questioned by groups such as groups of student radicals like ‘the Organisation’. They used their highly intellectualised reasoning to try and mould the public opinion to accept rebellion. From 1860, students offered high level unrest and eventually die to the unrest, Russian educated society was divided. Alexander needed to filter the education system to get rid of radicals through reaction and to do so in 1887 he passed a decree to prevent social mobility. In this, he intensified class discrimination by quadrupling secondary education and university fees. This was done to control the educated populace so that they remained loyal and unthreatening towards the Tsar. Also, there was a tightening of the syllabus, some subjects were prohibited and there was a stress on religion and tradition throughout the education system. Alexander hoped that through this reaction, the only people educated highly enough to threaten his reign would be rich nobles who are by necessity already loyal to him.
Alexander was a fierce nationalist chauvinist and partially blamed Russia’s problems on the national minorities living in his country- he was also highly influenced by Pobedonostev who came up with the slogan, ‘Autocracy, Orthodoxy and Nationality’ thus showing his feelings towards migrants. These feelings had been intensified by the 1863 rebellion in Poland, giving the Alexander reason to believe that non-Russian people in Russia were a danger to the empire, giving rise to the policy of Russification. Due to Alexander’s lack of intelligence, he was easily influenced and manipulated by Pobedonostev who continually suggested ways to oppress minorities like the Jews and the Poles.
In conclusion, Alexander III introduced reactionary policies to preserve his
The years leading up to 1881 were fraught with political opposition and threats of revolution. The autocracy was being threatened and publicly questioned by groups such as groups of student radicals like ‘the Organisation’. They used their highly intellectualised reasoning to try and mould the public opinion to accept rebellion. From 1860, students offered high level unrest and eventually die to the unrest, Russian educated society was divided. Alexander needed to filter the education system to get rid of radicals through reaction and to do so in 1887 he passed a decree to prevent social mobility. In this, he intensified class discrimination by quadrupling secondary education and university fees. This was done to control the educated populace so that they remained loyal and unthreatening towards the Tsar. Also, there was a tightening of the syllabus, some subjects were prohibited and there was a stress on religion and tradition throughout the education system. Alexander hoped that through this reaction, the only people educated highly enough to threaten his reign would be rich nobles who are by necessity already loyal to him.
Alexander was a fierce nationalist chauvinist and partially blamed Russia’s problems on the national minorities living in his country- he was also highly influenced by Pobedonostev who came up with the slogan, ‘Autocracy, Orthodoxy and Nationality’ thus showing his feelings towards migrants. These feelings had been intensified by the 1863 rebellion in Poland, giving the Alexander reason to believe that non-Russian people in Russia were a danger to the empire, giving rise to the policy of Russification. Due to Alexander’s lack of intelligence, he was easily influenced and manipulated by Pobedonostev who continually suggested ways to oppress minorities like the Jews and the Poles.
In conclusion, Alexander III introduced reactionary policies to preserve his