Depth Study Summary Tables – Key Debates
Alex II Key Debates
Question Argument 1 Argument 2
Liberal
Conservative
• Emancipation Edict – freedom of
How liberal movement and land ownership • Upheld Romanov autocratic rule
was Russian • Abolition of Personal Chancellery – • Emancipation limited by appeasement
government instead Council of Ministers – of nobility
under Alex reduced personal rule • Reform to control
II? • Zemstvo and Duma – representation • Trial of 193 in 1877 – reforming era
and beginning of democracy short
• Suspended censorship, judicial • Limitations of Duma and Zemstvo
reform
To what No Improvements
Improvements
extent did
reforms • Limitations of education,
• Education reformed
made by emancipation, judicial reform,
• Emancipation provided greater
Alex II military reform
freedom
improve the • Clampdown on censorship
• Judicial, military, censorship reforms
status of • Economic struggles of peasants
• Representation and ability to vote in
Russian • Living and working conditions
Zemstva
peasants? consistently bad
Yes No
How far • War revealed weaknesses – serfdom • Serfdom criticised for many years
were Alex inefficient • Growing number of peasants revolts
II’s reforms • Serf armies weak – military reform and discontent
due to the
• Poor transport and communication – • Bourgeoisie had been calling for
Crimean
railway reform more expansion of railway
War?
• Industrialisation to compete with the • Population expansion, famine
west – humiliating defeat • Military reforms 20 years later
87
, Yes No
How far
were issues
• Emancipation occurred at different
relating to • Intervened in Poland – concerned
times outside of Russia – e.g.
nationalities about Empire
Caucuses in 1876
and the • Commission set up in 1876 to
• Zemstva only in Lithuania, Belarus,
empire investigate activity in Ukraine
Poland in 1911
neglected • Zemstva in parts of Ukraine and
• Minor reforms to treatment of Jews
by Alex II? freedom in Finland - parliament
88
Alex II Key Debates
Question Argument 1 Argument 2
Liberal
Conservative
• Emancipation Edict – freedom of
How liberal movement and land ownership • Upheld Romanov autocratic rule
was Russian • Abolition of Personal Chancellery – • Emancipation limited by appeasement
government instead Council of Ministers – of nobility
under Alex reduced personal rule • Reform to control
II? • Zemstvo and Duma – representation • Trial of 193 in 1877 – reforming era
and beginning of democracy short
• Suspended censorship, judicial • Limitations of Duma and Zemstvo
reform
To what No Improvements
Improvements
extent did
reforms • Limitations of education,
• Education reformed
made by emancipation, judicial reform,
• Emancipation provided greater
Alex II military reform
freedom
improve the • Clampdown on censorship
• Judicial, military, censorship reforms
status of • Economic struggles of peasants
• Representation and ability to vote in
Russian • Living and working conditions
Zemstva
peasants? consistently bad
Yes No
How far • War revealed weaknesses – serfdom • Serfdom criticised for many years
were Alex inefficient • Growing number of peasants revolts
II’s reforms • Serf armies weak – military reform and discontent
due to the
• Poor transport and communication – • Bourgeoisie had been calling for
Crimean
railway reform more expansion of railway
War?
• Industrialisation to compete with the • Population expansion, famine
west – humiliating defeat • Military reforms 20 years later
87
, Yes No
How far
were issues
• Emancipation occurred at different
relating to • Intervened in Poland – concerned
times outside of Russia – e.g.
nationalities about Empire
Caucuses in 1876
and the • Commission set up in 1876 to
• Zemstva only in Lithuania, Belarus,
empire investigate activity in Ukraine
Poland in 1911
neglected • Zemstva in parts of Ukraine and
• Minor reforms to treatment of Jews
by Alex II? freedom in Finland - parliament
88
