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Y318: Russia and Its Rulers 1855–1964

The nature of government: extent and impact of reform, attitude of the Tsars, extent of political change

  • 3 things to know
  • Unit group 3

Overview

Recall questions on the extent and impact of reform, the nature, extent and effectiveness of opposition both before and after 1917, changes in local government, attitude of the Tsars, Provisional Government and Communists to political change, the extent of political change.

What you need to know

Answer each one before you reveal it.

Your recallNot started
Key term

How extensive was reform under the tsars?

Key term

Describe the main forms of opposition before 1917.

Numbers

Contrast the attitudes of the tsars, the Provisional Government and the Communists to political change.

Questions from this subtopic

Each one with the model answer underneath.

  1. 1

    How extensive was reform under the tsars?

    Model answer

    Alexander II's emancipation, zemstva and legal and military reforms were the most far-reaching, but none limited autocracy, and Alexander III reversed much of what they had achieved.

  2. 2

    Give two of Alexander III's counter-reforms.

    Model answer

    Land captains appointed from the gentry in 1889 to supervise peasant affairs, and the narrowing of the zemstvo franchise in 1890 to cut peasant representation.

  3. 3

    What changes were made to local government under the tsars?

    Model answer

    The zemstva of 1864 and the town dumas of 1870 created elected local councils responsible for roads, schools, health and relief, though weighted towards property owners and later curbed by the land captains.

  4. 4

    How was local government organised after 1917?

    Model answer

    Soviets became the formal local structures, but the Party's local committees and appointed secretaries took the real decisions and elections offered no choice between parties.

  5. 5

    Describe the main forms of opposition before 1917.

    Model answer

    Populists and the People's Will turned to terrorism and killed Alexander II; later came organised parties — Socialist Revolutionaries, Social Democrats and Kadets — together with liberal pressure through the zemstva, the press and the Duma.

  6. 6

    Why was opposition before 1917 so ineffective?

    Model answer

    It was split over aims and methods, its leaders were repeatedly imprisoned or exiled, the peasant majority was scattered and largely loyal, and until 1917 the army could be relied on to disperse it.

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