Log in now! What were the causes of the Russian Revolution in March 1917? Representatives from factories met to organise the strike action. 806 8067 22, Registered office: International House, Queens Road, Brighton, BN1 3XE, History a2 essay help! Why did Alexander II emancipate the Serfs? This was out of regard for the well being of the Serfs but for Russia’s preservation as a Great Power, which is the main argument that the Crimean War forced Emancipation as Crimea proved Russia … Already have an account? Inefficient workforce, no innovation. Under-resourced: 2 soldiers for every 1 gun; 2/3 soldiers died before getting to the front line; Used Serf conscripts who had no training or experience in fighting and warfare; To modernize Russia Emancipation Manifesto, (March 3 [Feb. 19, Old Style], 1861), manifesto issued by the Russian emperor Alexander II that accompanied 17 legislative acts that freed the serfs of the Russian Empire. He started his reign in a difficult position, as the defeat of the Crimean war in 1854 cast a shadow over the beginning of his reign. why did Alexander II decide to emancipate the serfs? However, Alexander wanted to avoid any other far sweeping changes across the country, to do with his autocratic rule or the state of the nobility - things which all would have been jeopardised by continuing the system of serfdom, as a revolution would have been inevitable. Giving in or using force, with the possibility of massive bloodshed. Another reason Nicholas could be seen as being responsible for his own downfall concerned the Duma. Russia's defeat in the Crimean war was also a major influencing factor as "Defeat in the Crimean war laid bare Russia's weakness, so well conceived reforms were set in train and permitted the birth of politics... Russian tsars had learned little during the century: at its end, they were still claiming to be absolute rulers. The 1861 Emancipation Manifesto proclaimed the emancipation of the serfs on private estates and of … It was something which had been proposed for a while, so the fact that Alexander actually performed the emancipation can be seen more as a political necessity rather than a reforming zeal. Theoretically, this was to provide perfect liberty to the a lot of Serfs and State Cowboys in Russia. Alexander realised that the reason Russia lost the war was because it did not have an industrial base, it had very few railway lines and their peasant army was poorly trained, equip ed and motivated. The liberal politicians who stood behind the 1861 manifesto recognized that their country was one of a few remaining feudal states in Europe. », The motives for the reforms of Alexander II, See all Russia - 19th and 20th century resources », Loss of the Crimean War / to improve the army, Under-resourced: 2 soldiers for every 1 gun, 2/3 soldiers died before getting to the front line, Used Serf conscripts who had no training or experience in fighting and warfare, 22000 km of railway was built between 1861 and 1878, because the Serfs were allowed to move from the land in order to gain work elsewhere. Industrialisation. The emancipation of Russia’s serfs is properly dated to 19 February 1861, when Alexander II issued the necessary documents to fundamentally reshape the legal relationship between landowner and serf that had subsisted for centuries. », Russian history: Why did Serfdom prevent modenisation of Russia in the 19th centuary? Next Priceless Seal of Ramesses II Purchased for Just £12. - Humanitarian Themes - Any complexity and volume!!!! The fear and hysteria created by the trials and accusation had an important impact. Stalin was the big hero or Vozhd (the boss). The nobles who opposed emancipation thought this way because of the dangers the freeing of the peasants would place on the upper classes. State-owned serfs, those living on Imperial lands, were emancipated in 1866. Most other countries had a democratic system and elected in a body of people or party each with different policies. In 1861 in Russia, Tsar Alexander II decreed the emancipation edict for the serfs. Alexander II wanted his country to step into the industrial age. We have to remember than Alexander's predecessor, Nicholas I, had also touched upon the idea of emancipating the serfs. This helped communication and industrialisation in Russia, There were considerable increases in the production of oil and coal because of investment from the Nobel Brothers, There had been 350 separate serf uprisings between 1845-1855, and wanted to reform now and not risk anything more serious, Pressure from resources as the population doubled in the first half of the 19th century, Grain prices falling in Europe, which lead to Russia's national debt to get up to 54 million roubles, 82% of population serfs living in poverty. Marked by teacher 01/12/2012. Registered office: International House, Queens Road, Brighton, BN1 3XE. Even if it was already in consideration and in the plans of Alexander II emancipate, the Crimean war brought the issue to the fore and helped persuade many who previously opposed emancipation. But behind all these reforms lay an ulterior motive. You must have JavaScript enabled in your browser to utilize the functionality of this website. Given the evidence, it can also be concluded that despite his liberal influences, in the final analysis, it was a conservative act on his part. It is focused and cogent throughout. Alexander II was not being liberal for its own sake. Alexander realised that the reason Russia lost the war was because it did not have an industrial base, it had very few railway lines and their peasant army was poorly trained, equip ed and motivated. This level of control helped the Five Year Plans to be carried out effectively. How ... Was the October revolution a popular uprising or a coup d(TM)tat? In all his propaganda posters, Stalin is shown to be friendly to all peoples of the world and of Russia. ...read more. You must include at least 3 ... Why did Tsar Alexander II decide to emancipate the serfs? Following the spectacular freedom of the serfs, which consequently encouraged other reforms that … In theory, this was to give perfect freedom to the millions of Serfs and State Peasants in Russia. Why did Alexander II decide to emancipate serfs? Slavery remained a legally recognized institution in Russia until 1723, when Peter the Great abolished slavery and converted the slaves into serfs. Stalins Five Year Plans were a great success 1928-1941. Tweet. Any Work - Only for our Сustomers. Share. Tags: Alexander II Russia Serfs Tsar. Not the one? Free Course Work - Because We are Leaders. Why did alexander II emancipate the serfs Tsar Alexander II was a buttoned-up who believed it was his call right to rule Russia. Share 0. Sign up to view the whole essay and download a PDF with full teacher's notes. Why did Alexander II Emancipate the Serfs in 1861? Share. Russia still had no trains, and was a pre industrial agricultural country. Get Full Access Now This student written piece of work is one of many that can be found in our GCSE Russia, USSR 1905-1941 section. The peace treaty of Paris finally drew a conclusion to the war in 1856, Russia ultimately being defeated by Britain and France, leaving the Russian state feeling weak and vulnerable. The emancipation of the serfs by Alexander II in 1861 was the inevitable result of a rising tide of liberalism in … The Emancipation Reform of 1861 in Russia, also known as the Emancipation Edict of Russia, was the first and most important of the liberal reforms passed during the reign of Emperor Alexander II of Russia. Alexander knew that the possibility of a revolution was very real and not far away without reformatory action. Alexander believed that the rank and document of the British and French armies had fought greater suitable than the Russian squaddies, and believed the reason became that the … In order to modernise the economy Alexander decided to emancipate the Serfs, but it was not a straight-forward freeing. "[7][7] But Alexander was still prepared to do anything to appease the masses to avoid revolution. ...read more. Do you agree? Posted By: Daryl.Worthington on: March 02, 2015 In: News No Comments. or This autocratic rule was described as tyrannical by many who visited especially for the treatment to the serfs, which were at long last emancipated in 1861. Conditions peasants endured, tackle tsarist weakness, defeat of Crimea. The pitiful display by Russian forces in the Crimean War … The 1861 Emancipation of the Serfs was Russian leader Czar Alexander II's attempt at reforming Russian society by eradicating serfdom. Although the monarch in Britain was born into the position they also had the elected government which had more power. All these extra reforms put the emancipation into a seemingly liberal context. Another popular explanation as to why Alexander emancipated the serfs was that he wanted to modernise Russia "Raising the productivity of the Russian economy was one of the main motives for embarking on the emancipation of the serfs. Liberalism within Russia was at its peak during Alexander's reign as censorship regulations had been lifted considerably. As early as 1928, when the coal mines in the Donbass region fell behind target, 55 engineers were accused of sabotage which led to the famous Shakhty trial. Created by teachers, our study guides highlight the really important stuff you need to know. Create one now! The reasons as to why he did this can be seen in the years before he declared this emancipation. Alexander II's views were (partly) formed because of progressive figures in court who were committed to emancipation, even Nicholas I recognised serfdom as 'an evil'. Why did alexander II emancipate the serfs ... and for Alexander II to support his nobles he had to emancipate the serfs so they could go start change magnitude their riches and thwart out of debt. Loss of the Crimean War / to improve the army. Soviets were group of ordinary people such as peasants, workers and soldiers. This was a great threat to the Tsar's government. Alexander had many dealings with other countries, and so saw how many other countries worked. Russia and its Rulers 1855-1964.Why did Alexander II Emancipate the Serfs? © 2003 - 2015 Marked by Teachers. 806 8067 22 Background. The emancipation of the serfs by Alexander II in 1861 was the inevitable result of a rising tide of liberalism in Russia, supported by the realisation that Russia's economic needs were incompatible with the system, and driven by the fear that that without reform the state itself could be shattered by revolution. Expert Answer . The Russian war effort had been characterised by the bravery of the soldiers, but poor military performance and incompetence in the military leadership "The Crimean war with its record of official incompetence and the heroism of the serf army... ...read more. 'The Five Year Plans brought glory to Stalin and misery to his people.' Learn more. This autocratic rule was described as tyrannical by many who visited Russia, especially so when it came to how the Serfs were treated, who were eventually emancipated in 1861. Therefore, in conclusion, it was a mixture of the increasing liberalism in Russia rising to its peak, the defeat in the Crimean war, the need for economic reform and the fear of revolution which ultimately lead Alexander to emancipate the serfs. Alexander II believed that the Emancipation was the most important and urgent of tasks that led to a new point of departure in Russia’s evolutionary history. What couldn't happen with serfs? 1. some historians believe it was to preserve power 2. the crimean war showed russia was backwards in comparison to other western countries 3. some historians believe that alexander emancipated the serfs for his own humanitarian ideas Nicholas could be held responsible for this contributing factor towards his own downfall. This was not the Tsar’s only gesture toward an equal and fair society. A massive picture of Stalin was hung on every station so that the Russian people would not forget what he had achieved through the Five Year Plans. By the Grace of God WE, Alexander II, Emperor and Autocrat of All Russia, King of Poland, Grand Duke of Finland, etc., make known to all OUR faithful subjects: Called by Divine Providence and by the sacred right of inheritance to the Russian throne of OUR ancestors, WE vowed in OUR heart to respond to the mission which is entrusted to Us and to surround with OUR affection and OUR … Alexander the II became the Tsar ... for freeing the serfs (9) 8. He set targets, which were passed down through the 'hierarchy' of management so they could be carried out by everyone.