Problems Associated with The Reign of Alexander II (1855-81)

Problems Associated with The Reign of Alexander II (1855-81)

The Russian Government faced many problems during the reign of

Alexander II, who had tried to solve many of the problems in society.

There is a difference of opinion as to how effective Alexander II was

in dealing with Russia’s problems.

Russia was on the verge of a mass serf rebellion when Alexander II

came into power. The serfs thought that landowners had too much

control over their lives and that they were basically slaves.

Alexander II was aware of this, and in a letter to Moscow gentry

marshals said that a “hostile sentiment between the peasants and their

landowners unfortunately exists…it is much better if this [reform]

happens from above then from below”. He believed he should reform

before the serfs carried out a full-blown rebellion. Alexander II did

take action could before this could happen, however the serfs still

did not have full freedom as they had to pay for land. Part of the

reason for the emancipation was also to ensure that military reforms

were able to go ahead without a landowner outcry.

Russia’s military status had suffered greatly when they were defeated

in the Crimean war in 1856. Russia was defeated by a force that

suffered from poor leadership and tactics, which meant that the

Russian people lost a lot of faith in their army. Alexander II knew he

had to reform the army or else lose both international status and the

Russian people’s respect for the military. He decided to adopt the

western military tactic of reserves. In the past serfs had been taken

from landowners, and forced to join the army. They then would be in

the army for twenty-five years, before they were made free. The new

system meant that people were recruited, trained, and then let back to

normal life, only called back when the army was in need of soldiers.

This meant a lot less money was spent maintaining it and people were

more inclined to sign up. For this system to work, however,