Trying to preserve autocracy

economically underdeveloped, village to town dwellers 11:1 and 85 per cent illiterate peasants.

Crimean war highlighted problems on reliance of week serf army and economic backwardness.

Alexander II believed emancipation would stiulate economy.

Motives:

Political - many nobles in heavy debt, declining incomes, young nobles critical of regime.

Economic - mir system prevented movement, rural poverty left serfs unable to pay tax, state faced 54 million rouble debt 1859.

Social -  westernisers, abandon serfdom to catch up on west, 'nihilists' sweep away all tradition, even autocracy, moral case against treating people like snimals/ slaves.

Procedure:

in the 1861 edict, only for private serfs, state serfs 1866, not as liberating as extpected.

terms - serfs 49 redemtpion payments (annual), mir responsible to collect taxes, landowners retain farmlands.

reforms brought excitement and opposition.

censorship relaxed - brought radical books.

education changes - more radical students.

legal reforms - middle class critical of government.

Opposition groups:

1862 Young Russia - students

1863 the Organisation - moscow uni students.

Results - Alexander brought tighter control back. schools back to church and zemstva restricted. third section established and workload increased for secret police.

Russo Turkish war and famine 1870s brought revolutionary activity. Alexander:

• released political prisoners
• relaxed censorship
• lifted zemstva restriction
• abolished third section (brought in Okhrana)
• removed salt tax

1879 - Land and Liberty became black partition (peaceful) and Peoples Will (militant, radical).

significance of the opposition:

• government failures showed tsar lacked authority.
• demands for reforms from below had grown.
• alexander II forced into reactionary style.
• Alexander II murdered in 1881.