Reform by Tsar Alexander Ii and the Provisional Gov’t

Compare the use of reform between Tsar Alexander II and the Provisional Gov’t

Both Alexander II and the Provisional Gov’t (PG) brought in political reforms, and both had similar liberal ideas, at least initially. Alexander II relaxed censorship and restrictions on Jews in universities, as well as emancipating the serfs, which is easily his most famous reform. The emacipation freed the serfs from noble control and was, in theory and radical departure from the old, semi-fuedal situation that had previously existed under Tsardom. Similarly, the PG brought in a raft of legislation, including full civil rights, the creation of a civil militia to replace the secret police, and plans for a constituent assembly. Although in both cases these reforms did not have the desired effects. It the case of Alexander, this was because in theory, the serfs were free from the nobles, and therefore better off politically and economically, in reality however, they were challenged by redemption payments and their lives were still under the control of the mir. In a similar fashion, the PG’s reforms did not have the hoped effects, because although reforms gave hope of an elected assembly, and more politically freedom, to the people, they were overshadowed by the hardships of WW1, whichwas a great preoccupationfor the people that the empherical benefits of reform seemed obsolete. Thus it can be seen that where liberal reforms were brought in, the circumstances surrounding them, be them constraints of Russian society, or those of ww1, meant that the full effects were not appreciated fully. Indeed, in both cases, the liberalisation of Russia lead to internal opposition, in the form of the peoples will for Alexander, and the Bolsheviks for the PG.