Reign of Alexander III

Paper 1 : Autocracy and Revolt in Russia, 1881 - 1914

The Reign of Alexander III

The Reign of Alexander III

Became Tsar after Alexander II's assassination in 1881.
Cancels father's plans to introduce a representative assembly and had no intention to limiting his autocratic prowess.
During his reign, Russia was not involved in any wars.
Because of this, he was dubbed peacemaker of Russia.
He was much more conservative - he believed autocracy was better than democracy.
Reversed all of his father's reforms.
Impact of his father's death made him
- reverse his father's reforms, realised it did not work since his father was assassinated due to population discontent.
- blame the Jews for his father's assassination.
- believed that autocracy was better than democracy.

Main policies on...

All policies =

Impact of the assassination of Alexander II.

Alexander III, Pobedonostsev and reaction.

Restoration of autocracy, censorship, and the policy of Russification.

1. Autocracy

Tsar took repressive measures to uphold his autocratic rule.
Tsar passed the Temporary Regulations to deal with the "Will of The People."
populists, professional revolutionaries, supporter of political struggle against the autocratic rule.
Anybody who threatened public order were arrested by police. (harsh security measures)
As a result :
- It eliminates political opposition. (only a few revolutionaries remain)
- Terrorism and "Will of The People" died down.

In 1884, Tsar passed a new University Statue.
This statue abolished university autonomy and banned students' political activities.
Secondary schools were "advised" to give more attention to teaching of classical languages.
Raised tuition fees. This made is difficult for lower classes to obtain education.
Working class and peasant children were forbidden to study in secondary schools.
This meant that only the upper class…