Can you remember when... ? The serfs were emancipated. Elected town councils (dumas) were introduced to urban areas. The Crimean War began and ended. Alexander II was assassinated. The zemstva were formed (local authorities). Censorship reforms were introduced (more relaxation). There was a failed assassination attempt on Alexander II’s life. Alexander II began to go back on his reforms. Alexander III began to pursue Russification policy.

Can you remember when... ? The serfs were emancipated. 1861 Elected town councils (dumas) were introduced to urban areas. 1870 The Crimean War began and ended. 1853-6 Alexander II was assassinated. 1881 The zemstva were formed (local authorities). 1864 Censorship reforms were introduced (more relaxation). 1865 There was a failed assassination attempt on Alexander II’s life. 1866 Alexander II began to go back on his reforms. 1866 Alexander III began to pursue Russification policy. 1881

Landowners, merchants, government officials... In 1862, a group of students published a manifesto, ‘Young Russia’, in which they argued that revolution was the only way forward: “Society is at present divided into two groups that are hostile to one another because their interests are diametrically opposed. The party that is oppressed by all and humiliated by all is the party of the common people. Over it stands the landowners, the merchants, the government officials – in short all those who possess property, either inherited or acquired. At their heart stands the tsar. They cannot exist without him, nor he without them. There is only one way out of this oppressive and terrible situation which is destroying contemporary man and that is revolution – bloody and merciless revolution.” The Tsar Landowners, merchants, government officials... The common people

How threatening was opposition under Alexander II and Alexander III (1855-1894)? Over the next few lessons, you will... Profile a number of individuals and groups that opposed Alexander II and III, determining the relative strength of each individual/group. Decide whether Alexander II or Alexander III faced more significant opposition – and who handled this opposition more effectively.

Opposition to Alexander II Key groups = the intelligentsia and the Populists. Intelligentsia (think: intelligent people) were influenced by Marx and other writers. Populists aimed to win over the peasants with their socialist ideas (i.e. everyone should be equal). ... Both groups essentially wanted the same thing: change in Russia, more individual freedom etc. But the members of the two groups were different, as were their methods. Members of the intelligentsia were influenced by Marx. Populists Land and Liberty (est. 1877) Black Partition (est. 1879) The People’s Will (est. 1879)

Opposition to Alexander II Use the textbook and your own notes to complete your table (only the side for Alexander II).

Intelligentsia: Slavophiles and Westernisers In the 1840s and 1850s, the Slavophiles and the Westernisers emerged in Russian society and philosophical thought. Slavophiles advocated Russia’s unique methods of development. They said Russia was unique because it had not seen a class struggle in its history; because it had peasant communes; and because its people followed the only true form of Christianity. Westernisers insisted on the need to imitate the Western social system, civil society and culture. They rejected the feudal system, and believed it was possible to establish a democratic system by peaceful means.

Intelligentsia: Slavophiles and Westernisers Westernisers: “The best way for Russia to strengthen itself as a world power is to become more like European countries – it needs to move towards a constitutional and parliamentary regime; to move towards being an industrialised nation-state like Germany or Britain.” Slavophiles: “Russia is not like any European state. It has its own distinctive political system, which is based on autocracy and the Orthodox Church. Russia is an empire – it isn’t a nation state, and it shouldn’t try to become one, because half of its population is non-Russian.”

Opposition to Alexander II (1855-1881) Revolutionary group/individual Who were they? What did they want? How successful were they in achieving their aims: what kinds of things did they do? The intelligentsia The Populists Land and Liberty (a Populist group set up in 1877) Black Partition (a branch of Land and Liberty) The People’s Will

Opposition to Alexander III (1881-1894) Revolutionary group/individual Who were they? What did they want? How successful were they in achieving their aims: what kinds of things did they do? Alexander Ulyanov Viktor Chernov Social Democratic movement Vladimir Ilyich Ulyanov (Lenin) Lev Davodovich Bronstein (Leon Trotsky) Intelligentsia and liberals

Opposition to Alexander II ... Out of all the opposition faced by Alexander II, which group or individual posed the biggest threat? Why?

Ten days after the assassination of Alexander II, People’s Will sent an open letter to Alexander III: “Your Majesty, While fully comprehending your deep sorrow, there is something higher than the most legitimate of personal feelings – the duty to our country, to which all individual sentiments must be sacrificed. There are but two ways – either revolution or the voluntary transfer of supreme power into the hands of the people. We do not impose conditions, as these have been imposed by history; we merely state them. The conditions are: A general amnesty for all political crimes, as those were not crimes, but rather the fulfillment of social duty. The summoning of representatives of the whole nation to consider the existing social and economic order and its modification in accordance with the nation’s desire.” What did the People’s Will call for in this letter? How did the letter present Alexander II’s assassination – as a crime? What is the general tone of the letter? How do you think Alexander III responded to this letter?

A period of counter-reaction and counter-reform was thereby launched. Alexander III was in no mood for such requests: within days, 150 members of the opposition movement responsible for his father’s assassination had been executed. There was a clampdown on secret meetings, and known areas of trouble were raided by the secret police. Censorship was tightened. A period of counter-reaction and counter-reform was thereby launched. Do you think Alexander III was right to take such an aggressive stance? Why do you think he did this?

Opposition to Alexander III Key groups = Populists (not as significant now as they had been under Alexander II), the Social Democratic Movement and the intelligentsia/liberals. Alexander II’s assassination effectively ended the Populist movement, but some of its supporters continued to meet: in 1886, The People’s Will was reformed, and attempted to assassinate Alexander III (Alexander Ulyanov was one of the key members). The Social Democratic movement developed a lot of Populist ideas, but were a separate group. The third strand of opposition – the intelligentsia/liberals – was more moderate, and didn’t adopt a revolutionary attitude. 1: Populists (included Alexander Ulyanov and Viktor Chernov) 2: Social Democratic Movement (included Lenin) 3: Intelligentsia/liberals

Opposition to Alexander III Use the textbook and your own notes to complete your table (concentrate on the side for Alexander III).

Opposition to Alexander III ... Out of all the opposition faced by Alexander III, which group or individual posed the biggest threat? Why?

Opposition: key dates Assassination of Alexander II by People’s Will in 1881 (effectively ending the Populist movement). People’s Will reformed 1886 – in 1887, a group who made bombs aiming to assassinate Alexander III were arrested. 5 months later Alexander Ulyanov was hanged. 1880s-1890s: industrialisation in Russia. This led many people towards Marxist theories, e.g. in 1883 Georgi Plekhavnov (forced into exile after his involvement with the Populist movement) established the Emancipation of Labour group in Switzerland (this wanted to bring about a proletarian socialist revolution in Russia)…

How threatening was opposition under Alexander II and Alexander III (1855-1894)? Now that you have notes on opposition to both Alexander II and Alexander III, you need to decide which groups/individuals posed the greatest threat to the Tsarist regime. Imagine that a documentary is being made about opposition to Alexander II and Alexander III, and the producers are trying to decide how much time to devote to each group/individual. Decide how much of a threat was posed by each group/individual, and add notes to your sheet. Then complete (and label) the pie chart.

For example...

How threatening was opposition under Alexander II and Alexander III (1855-1894)? Imagine that a documentary is being made about opposition to the Tsarist regime under Alexander II and Alexander III. You must decide how long the producers should spend on each group/individual: more time will be spent on those groups or individuals who posed the biggest threat to the regime. Beside each group/individual listed below, rate the level of threat they represented, and explain your decision. It would be good to make comparisons between the groups (e.g. ‘People’s Will posed more of a threat than ... because...’) Now decide how this will translate to time spent on each group in the documentary. The documentary is 1 hour long: how many minutes should be allocated to each group? You can divide up your pie chart (then label it) to indicate how much of the programme will be devoted to each group/individual. Group/individual How much of a threat? (1-10, 1=no threat, 10=huge threat), and why. How many minutes (out of 1 hour)? The intelligentsia, under Alexander II The Populists, under Alexander II Land and Liberty, under Alexander II Black Partition, under Alexander II The People’s Will, under Alexander II Alexander Ulyanov, under Alexander III Viktor Chernov, under Alexander III Social Democratic Movement, under Alexander III Ulyanov (Lenin), under Alexander III Bronstein (Trotsky), under Alexander III Intelligentsia/liberals, under Alexander III Pie chart showing time to be allocated to each opposition group/individual:

Create a timeline from 1855 to 1894, adding key dates from the beginning of yesterday’s lesson (emancipation of serfs, etc). Now, plot on the key events and dates relating to opposition under Alexander II and Alexander III. When were the key groups formed? When were their decisive actions taken? Colour-code this opposition: if it is an example of moderate opposition, add it in one colour; and if it is an example of radical/extreme opposition, add it in another colour. Can you see any patterns? Is there a relationship between the actions taken by the tsar, and the nature of the opposition?

Practice for the interpretations question… GREEN: Add statements/facts/figures to AGREE with the statements on the sheets. RED: Add statements/facts/figures to DISAGREE with the statements on the sheets. You must add specific information or contextual knowledge: not just vague ideas!