Basic provisions of Alexander 3. Domestic policy of Alexander III (briefly)

Alexander III decisively rejected the reform projects and dismissed Loris-Melikov and other liberals. On April 25, 1881, a Manifesto was published, proclaiming that the tsar would act “with faith in the strength and truth of autocratic power.”

In August 1881, to combat the revolutionary movement, the tsar issued the “Regulations on measures to protect public order and public peace." The "position" was confirmed every three years and lasted until the overthrow of the monarchy.

Governors received the right to declare a state of emergency in the provinces, expel undesirable persons, close enterprises and educational institutions, and suspend periodicals.

Under the Minister of Internal Affairs, a Special Conference was formed, which could exile without trial for 5 years. All over Russia, departments for maintaining order and public safety with a large number of agents ("secret police") were created.

In 1889, in local government, instead of the magistrate's court and peace intermediaries, zemstvo district chiefs were introduced, who were appointed from among the nobles by the Minister of Internal Affairs. They united in themselves judicial and administrative power over the rural population, they could appoint and cancel members volost courts, cancel decisions of village and volost assemblies, subject peasants to arrest and corporal punishment.

In 1890, the zemstvo counter-reform began. The peasants were deprived of the right to directly elect vowels: now the volost assembly elected only candidates for vowels, and the governor approved them. Resolutions of zemstvo assemblies were also subject to approval by the governor.

In 1892, a new city regulation was issued, replacing the previous tax qualification with a property one: in a provincial city - from 1 to 3 thousand rubles. In fact, only the owners of industrial and commercial establishments remained voters. The decisions of the Duma were now subject to approval by a special official.

The reactionary course of the government was clearly manifested in the field of education. In 1887 The Minister of Public Education issued circular, according to which it was forbidden to admit to the gymnasium “children of coachmen, footmen, laundresses, small shopkeepers, etc.” It was called the "circular about cook's children." In the village, as opposed to zemstvo schools, the number of parochial schools increased.

The new university charter deprived university councils of the right to choose rectors and professors. Liberal-minded teachers were fired. The attack began on female education. Admission to the only women's school was stopped medical school. Of all the women's higher courses that existed in St. Petersburg, Moscow, Kazan and Kyiv, only one has survived - in St. Petersburg.

The press was put in a difficult situation. The "Temporary Rules on the Press" (1882) introduced the so-called "punitive censorship", obliging publications, after the third warning, to submit their next issues to the censor on the eve of their release. This led to the cessation of publication of many publications. The right to close any publications was granted not only to the Ministry of Internal Affairs, but also to the Chief Prosecutor of the Synod.

Counter-reforms Alexandra III caused deep discontent in society and contributed to the aggravation of social contradictions.

Society pinned certain hopes on the new Emperor Nicholas II (1894 - 1917). However, in the first public speaking Nicholas declared that the constitutional plans were just “meaningless dreams.” Thus, his commitment to autocracy and the course of Alexander III was clearly expressed.

Question 1. What circumstances had a decisive influence on the internal policy of Alexander III?

Answer. The future emperor’s military training played a certain role, but the decisive factor was the terrorists’ hunt for his father, not only the murder itself, but also the previous six attempts. The new ruler decided to strangle the revolution at all costs.

Question 2. Highlight the main directions of the domestic policy of Alexander III.

Answer. Main directions:

1) fight against the revolutionary movement;

2) cutting back on reforms;

3) tightening national policy;

4) new policy in the field of education;

5) attempts to resolve the Peasant Question;

6) the beginning of labor legislation.

Question 3. Compare the internal policies of Alexander II and Alexander III. What do you see as the fundamental differences? Is it possible to find common features?

Answer. Alexander II began his reign as a liberal, only towards the end of it he switched to conservative measures; Alexander III immediately showed himself to be a conservative and even revised some of his father’s reforms. However, they both carried out reforms, only the transformations of Alexander II were incomparably larger-scale and affected much more larger number spheres of life of Russians.

Question 4. What innovations of the previous reign were revised by Alexander III and why?

1) in 1884, a new university charter was introduced, according to which universities were deprived of their autonomy, and the ministry was given the opportunity to control the content of their programs. Universities were recognized as breeding grounds for sedition, so the government decided to revise one of the provisions of the education reform.

2) On June 5, 1887, an order was issued by the Minister of Education, which the liberals called the law on “cook’s children.” It made it difficult in every possible way for children from the lower strata of society to enter gymnasiums, especially universities. The government considered that revolutionaries were mainly educated people from the poorest strata of the population, and therefore one of the provisions of the education system reform was revised.

3) “Regulations on measures to protect state order and public peace” made it possible to actually cancel the results of judicial reform for a certain time in a certain territory. This was done so that terrorists could not escape responsibility, because the courts sometimes acquitted them. The case of Vera Ivanovna Zasulich was resonant. She seriously wounded St. Petersburg mayor F.F. Trepov for giving the order to flog the political prisoner of the populist A.S. Bogolyubov. The jury agreed that it was Zasulich (who was arrested on the spot) who shot Trepov, but found her not guilty. This decision met with broad approval in the capital's society, strangers hugged in the streets and congratulated each other. It was to prevent this from happening again that the “Regulation” was adopted.

4) It was extremely difficult for Jews to enter gymnasiums, especially universities. The Orthodox Church was declared the support of the state, the provisions of the education reform were revised precisely to please the church.

5) The termination of the temporarily obliged position of the peasants revised one of the main provisions of the peasant reform, because the temporarily obliged were not much different from the serfs and the reform actually did not work.

Question 5. Assess the social policy of Alexander III. What do you see as its advantages and disadvantages?

Answer. The social policy of Alexander III generally made life easier for both peasants and workers. It included, of course, a number of positive measures, such as the termination of the temporary obligation position, the gradual abolition of the poll tax, and unsuccessful attempts to streamline relations between workers and their employers. The negative was that they did not solve the fundamental problems of workers and peasants. The measures taken to resettle peasants were not enough to solve the problem of land shortage (the set of measures was not at all as large-scale as the Stolypin program). But workers in general did not receive social guarantees.

Question 6. Assess the national policy of Alexander III.

Answer. In the area of ​​national policy, Alexander III strengthened Russification and suppressed any manifestations of national movements in most of the outskirts (with the exception, perhaps, of Finland). This reflected the general direction of his domestic policy. For him, national liberation movements were no different from revolutionary uprisings (especially since uprisings on the outskirts actually often included demands for social reforms), and the fight against such uprisings in Russia was the main task of this emperor.

Question 7. Do you agree with the statement that the period of the reign of Alexander III was a period of counter-reforms, that is, a period of elimination of the reforms of the previous reign?

Answer. Indeed, the reign of Alexander III became a period of counter-reforms, but this did not mean that the reforms of the previous reign were curtailed. They continued to act, but some of them were adjusted. It is this adjustment that can be called counter-reforms, because it seriously changed Russia and led to the triumph of conservatives.

Main directions of domestic policy. During the reign of Alexander III in Russia, strict administrative regulation of the social life of society was maintained. Enemies of state power were persecuted, arrested, and expelled. Such facts existed both before and after the reign of Alexander III.

During his reign, the country developed dynamically, social and economic indicators changed noticeably. Russia's budget by the end of the 1880s. became balanced, which allowed a few years later (already under Nicholas II) to move on to the introduction of gold circulation.

In an effort to supplement revenues, the government increased duties on imported goods. New direct taxes were introduced, and old tax rates were increased. These measures primarily affected the wealthy segments of the population. In 1882, a tax was introduced on property that passed from owner to owner as a result of wills and donations. In 1885, taxes on industrial enterprises, land taxes, and taxes on real estate in cities (houses, shops, warehouses) were increased.

At the same time, the authorities decided to reduce taxation of the peasantry. In 1882 it was reduced by 12 million rubles. the amount of annual redemption payments. In 1883, a royal decree appeared ordering the abolition of the poll tax.

During the reign of Alexander III, another remarkable event occurred. In 1882, the Peasant Land Bank was established. Its task was to provide loans to individual peasants and peasant communities. In the first 10 years, with bank loans, peasants acquired ownership of more than 2 million acres of land.

The policy of encouraging industry pursued by the government of Alexander III brought economic results and changed the social structure of the population. If in 1881 about 771 thousand workers worked in factories and factories in Russia, then in 1893 there were already almost 1.5 million people.

The emergence of a significant category of hired workers posed the task of legal regulation of their situation to the authorities. It was under Alexander III that laws were adopted that became the basis of Russian labor legislation. In 1882, the Factory Inspectorate arose within the Ministry of Finance, which took control of the implementation of factory legislation and the resolution of conflicts between workers and employers.

In 1882, a law was passed that prohibited the use of child labor (under 12 years old) in factories and factories. The working day of adolescents (up to 15 years old) lasted no more than 8 hours with a break after four hours, or 6 hours without a break. It was prohibited to use the labor of minors (under 16 years of age) for night work, on weekends and holidays.

In 1886, important regulations were adopted - “Rules on the hiring of workers in factories, factories and manufactories” and “Special rules on mutual relations manufacturers and workers." They regulated the mutual obligations of workers and employers and provided for the conclusion of a rental agreement with the designation of its terms in the pay book (values wages, housing rental costs, etc.); the amount of fines for violation of labor regulations”, obliging owners to send fines to a special capital for issuing benefits to workers. The law prohibited the payment of wages in food or goods, and the collection of fees for medical care.

The changes that took place in the forms of management of social life reflected the government's difficult search for an acceptable balance between the needs of the time and the capabilities of the country. Among the particularly significant and indicative steps in this series was the transformation of local government, education and legal proceedings.

Local government formed under Alexander II gave zemstvos and cities greater rights in addressing local needs. However, in the laws on zemstvo and city self-government there remained many legal ambiguities both in the relationships between the local bodies themselves and in their relations with the state authorities. Senatorial audits of some provinces, carried out in 1880-1881, revealed many problems and abuses.

After the abolition of serfdom in 1861, the peasantry had local self-government in the form of special peasant bodies, rural and volost (elders, village and volost assembly), which were in charge of the everyday, current affairs of the peasant community. They were subordinate to a state official - a peace mediator who had the right to approve and remove from office persons elected by the peasantry (volost foreman, village headman), resolve peasant litigation (if the claim does not exceed 30 rubles), place under arrest for up to 7 days and punish with rods .

Peace mediators were appointed by the governor in agreement with the provincial marshal of the nobility from among the local nobles.

The next instances of state peasant administration were congresses of peace intermediaries and special district and provincial presences for peasant affairs. The most important task of the world mediators was to regulate the land division between the peasants and their former owners- landowners etc.

An institute of zemstvo chiefs was created, who were appointed by the governor from among the nobles who owned real estate in a given area, had a secondary or higher education. Administrative power over the bodies of peasant self-government, control over the activities of volost and rural administrations, and approval of elected officials in the district were concentrated in their hands. The function of a justice of the peace was also transferred to the zemstvo chief.

The transformation of peasant administration caused the need for adjustments to zemstvo administration. All-class elected bodies of zemstvo self-government arose in 1864; they were in charge of matters relating to local economic benefits and needs.

Involving local residents in management by choice was an important step in the development of social initiative of the population. However, over time, major shortcomings in the organization of the entire undertaking emerged. Zemstvos could receive funds for their purposes through the introduction of special (zemstvo) taxation. The law did not clearly outline the limits of these fees, nor their relationship with state duties. Zemstvos complained that they did not have enough funds to build and maintain hospitals and schools, and that there was no money for repairs and construction of roads. In turn, the wealthy local residents, especially entrepreneurs, constantly complained about financial arbitrariness, about “zemstvo ripping off”, they assured that the funds received by the zemstvos were squandered, that a significant part of them was spent on paying the labor of employees of the zemstvo government.

After lengthy discussions and approvals, Alexander III in June 1890 approved a new Regulation on provincial and district zemstvo institutions. The essence of the changes was as follows: the system of distribution of zemstvo voters by type of property was replaced by their distribution into three class groups - noble, urban and peasant, with the nobility being given numerical dominance in zemstvo assemblies.

The highest supervision over the activities of zemstvo assemblies was entrusted to the Minister of Internal Affairs, the current one - to the governor and a special board attached to him - the provincial presence for zemstvo affairs. All decisions of zemstvo assemblies were now submitted for approval to the governor, who, if he disagreed with the decision, turned to the Minister of Internal Affairs.

The governor received the right to temporarily suspend the decision of the zemstvo assembly if he believed that it did not comply with the law. However, zemstvos had the opportunity to defend their case in court and appeal the decisions of the governor and minister to higher authorities.

Following the zemstvo, the city public administration, which operated on the basis of the City Regulations of 1870, was also reorganized. After its appearance, the development of the city economy achieved noticeable success - the improvement of cities advanced significantly. However, shortcomings of the Regulations also emerged. They largely stemmed from the system of city elections and the structure of government bodies, from the lack of control in Voting rights were retained only by owners of real estate, as well as by persons who acquired merchant certificates in this place: the first guild for capital cities and the first and second guilds for all others. With regard to the approval of positions, control and appeal of decisions of local self-government bodies, norms similar to the Zemsky Regulations were introduced.

Under Alexander III, some aspects of legal proceedings were also adjusted.

Access to court hearings was prohibited for minors and students. The doors of the court hearing were closed to the public if the court recognized that the circumstances of the trial could offend religious feelings and morals, affect the dignity of state power and harm public order. In addition, no detailed reports, much less transcripts of court proceedings, were allowed to be published.

Another important innovation concerned the process itself. Serious crimes, including those related to an attempt on the political foundations of the country, were removed from the jurisdiction of district courts and transferred to the judicial chambers, where cases were considered by judges with the participation of class representatives (chairman of the noble society, city mayor, volost foreman of the local district).

Despite a number of innovations, all the fundamental principles of the judicial reform of 1864 (irremovability of judges, independence of judicial proceedings, trial by jury, right to defense) were not subject to revision.

The transformations also affected the organization of education in the empire. The authorities came to the conclusion that the autonomy of the highest educational institutions, their isolation from the state, which they acquired under the University Charter of 1868, led to the fact that many educational institutions turned into centers of anti-government propaganda. Illegal literature was distributed here almost freely, and student scientific societies devoted their main attention to discussing burning political issues.

Back in 1880, the then Minister of Education, Count D. A. Tolstoy, submitted to the State Council a draft of a new University Charter, which provided for strengthening state control over higher educational institutions. The minister insisted on the introduction of unified state examinations, the appointment of a rector by the Ministry of Public Education, the liquidation of the university court, etc. But then the matter died out.

In November 1882, the Minister of Education I.D. Delyanov submitted to the State Council a draft amendment to the University Charter, which basically coincided with Tolstoy’s project. After lengthy discussions, in May 1884 it came to a vote. Opinions were divided. There was a minority of those who supported proposals to introduce control over higher education institutions. The majority in the State Council insisted on continuing to study the issue.

Three months later, the king convened a special meeting of the highest officials of the empire to discuss in detail the draft University Charter. In August 1884, he approved the minority opinion of the State Council. Started operating in Russia new edition University Charter.

Russia and international affairs. Having survived the humiliation and losses of the Crimean War, Russia was regaining its status as a full-fledged great power. Although the fleet on the Black Sea had not yet been recreated, and at the Berlin Congress of 1878 Russian diplomacy was defeated, not a single one important question international life could not be decided without the participation Russian Empire.

Emperor Alexander III's ideas about Russia's international activities were very simple and practical: government policy should be carried out exclusively in the interests of Russia.

Meanwhile, relations with Austria-Hungary remained tense. The contradictions between the two monarchies seemed insurmountable, since they concerned the interests of each of them in Eastern Europe and in the Balkans. However, St. Petersburg did not particularly strive to get closer to the Habsburg Empire, realizing that in the concert of world powers it was only a junior partner.

Russia's relations with the three leading world powers - England, Germany and France - were also not stable.

Great Britain maintained a staunch anti-Russian position. The center of Anglo-Russian contradictions was Central Asia. The Russian border was not clearly marked there, since Russia had only recently established itself in Turkmenistan and the upper reaches of the Amu Darya. Afghanistan, formally independent, was considered by the British as their protectorate. Russia intended to resolve the border issue with the Afghan government and initially did not want to discuss this topic with London. But the ruler of Afghanistan was completely dependent on the British and could not take any independent action. In the end, Russia had to mark the Russian-Afghan border with the participation of the British.

Relations with Great Britain caused a lot of trouble for Russian diplomacy, but there were no special puzzles here. Relations with Germany developed much more complicatedly, which in the second half of the 19th century. confidently emerged as one of the most powerful powers. In Russia, anti-Prussian sentiments began to noticeably increase after the proclamation of the German Empire in 1871 and especially after the Balkan War and the Congress of Berlin. A qualitative change in Russian-German relations occurred under Alexander III. Germany and Russia, both formally and actually, ceased to be allies.

Domestic policy of Alexander III

The beginning of the reign of Alexander III occurred during the period of struggle between two parties: liberal (wanting the reforms begun by Alexander II) and monarchical. Alexander III abolished the idea of ​​Russian constitutionality and set a course for strengthening autocracy.

On August 14, 1881, the government adopted a special law “Regulations on measures to protect state order and public peace.” To combat unrest and terror, states of emergency were introduced, punitive measures were used, and in 1882 the secret police appeared.

Alexander III believed that all the troubles in the country came from the freethinking of his subjects and the excessive education of the lower class, which was caused by his father’s reforms. Therefore, he began a policy of counter-reforms.

Universities were considered the main source of terror. The new university charter of 1884 sharply limited their autonomy, student associations and the student court were banned, access to education for representatives of the lower classes and Jews was limited, and strict censorship was introduced in the country.

Zemstvo reform of Alexander III:

The rights of zemstvos were severely curtailed, and their work was brought under the strict control of governors. Merchants and officials sat in the City Dumas, and only rich local nobles sat in the zemstvos. Peasants lost the right to participate in elections.

Judicial reform of Alexander III

Judges became dependent on the authorities, the competence of the jury was reduced, and magistrates' courts were practically eliminated.

Peasant reform of Alexander III

The poll tax and communal land use were abolished, compulsory land purchases were introduced, but redemption payments were reduced. In 1882, the Peasant Bank was established, designed to issue loans to peasants for the purchase of land and private property.

Military reform of Alexander III

The defense capability of border districts and fortresses was strengthened.

Alexander III knew the importance of army reserves, so infantry battalions were created and reserve regiments were formed. A cavalry division was created, capable of fighting both on horseback and on foot.

To fight in mountainous area Mountain artillery batteries were created, mortar regiments and siege artillery battalions were formed. A special railway brigade was created to deliver troops and army reserves.

In 1892, river mine companies, fortress telegraphs, aeronautical detachments, and military dovecotes appeared.

Military gymnasiums were transformed into cadet corps, and non-commissioned officer training battalions were created for the first time to train junior commanders.

A new three-line rifle was adopted for service, and a smokeless type of gunpowder was invented. The military uniform has been replaced with a more comfortable one. The procedure for appointment to command positions in the army was changed: only by seniority.

Social policy of Alexander III

“Russia for Russians” is the emperor’s favorite slogan. Only the Orthodox Church is considered truly Russian; all other religions were officially defined as “other faiths.”

The policy of anti-Semitism was officially proclaimed, and the persecution of Jews began.

Foreign policy of Alexander III

The reign of Emperor Alexander III was the most peaceful. Only once did Russian troops clash with Afghan troops on the Kushka River. Alexander III protected his country from wars, and also helped to extinguish hostility between other countries, for which he received the nickname “Peacemaker.”

Economic policy of Alexander III

Under Alexander III, cities, factories and factories grew, domestic and foreign trade grew, the length of railways increased, and construction of the great Siberian Railway began. In order to develop new lands, peasant families were resettled to Siberia and Central Asia.

At the end of the 80s, the state budget deficit was overcome; revenues exceeded expenses.

Results of the reign of Alexander III

Emperor Alexander III was called “the most Russian Tsar.” He defended the Russian population with all his might, especially on the outskirts, which contributed to the strengthening of state unity.

As a result of the measures taken in Russia, there was a rapid industrial boom, the exchange rate of the Russian ruble grew and strengthened, and the well-being of the population improved.

Alexander III and his counter-reforms provided Russia with a peaceful and calm era without wars and internal unrest, but also gave birth to a revolutionary spirit in the Russians, which would break out under his son Nicholas II.

Domestic policy Alexander III, who ruled in 1881-1894, was reactionary in contrast to the previous emperor, Alexander II. The government of Alexander III sought to suppress the revolutionary movement in Russia and secure the foundations of the state system. To achieve this, it pursued appropriate legislative policies within the country. But, in addition, the Russian leadership supported segments of the population loyal to the authorities - primarily the nobility. Various events were also carried out in this direction and laws were adopted. Also, Alexander III and his entourage pursued a reactionary religious policy, supporting Orthodoxy in everything. You will learn more about all this in this lesson.

Rice. 2. N.P. Ignatiev - Russian Minister of Internal Affairs in 1881-1882. ()

Rice. 3. D.A. Tolstoy - Minister of Internal Affairs and chief of gendarmes of Russia in 1882-1889. ()

Through the efforts of D.A. Tolstoy in 1884 a new University Charter was introduced. According to its provisions, universities were deprived of the right of autonomy, that is, independence. After this, rectors and teachers were appointed by the Russian government, thereby taking control educational process. Very high tuition fees were introduced. In order to combat the student revolutionary movement, any student associations were prohibited. Dissatisfied people were instantly expelled from the university.

Alexander’s internal policy is even clearerIIIwas reflected in the law “On cooks’ children” issued in 1887. Its author was the new Minister of Public Education I.D. Delyanov (Fig. 4). The essence of the law was to make it as difficult as possible for lower-class children to enter secondary education. educational institutions- gymnasiums. In addition, gymnasiums have changed training course- the emphasis was now on church education and ancient languages. The level of parochial schools also increased, although the level of education there was very low.

Rice. 4. I.D. Delyanov - Minister of Public Education of Russia in 1882-1897. ()

The general idea of ​​education laws was to limit the number educated people in Russia who could potentially become revolutionaries dangerous to the authorities.

The struggle against the revolutionary movement was reflected in other spheres of life in the Russian Empire of that period. Thus, in 1882, a Conference of Four Ministers was created, headed by the Chief Prosecutor of the Holy Synod, K.P. Pobedonostsev (Fig. 5). This government body had the right, at its discretion, to close any printed publications, which he actively used. Many printing houses were closed Russian authorities, such as “Voice” by A.A. Kraevsky (Fig. 6), “Notes of the Fatherland” by M.E. Saltykov-Shchedrin (Fig. 7) and others.

Rice. 5. K.P. Pobedonostsev - the main ideologist of the counter-reforms of Alexander III, head of the Conference of Four Ministers ()

Rice. 7. Russian literary magazine “Domestic Notes” M.E. Saltykova-Shchedrin ()

Another event under AlexanderIIIaimed at strengthening censorship was the purge of libraries in 1884. More than a hundred titles of books that were considered dangerous were seized from them.

However, it is worth noting that the main burden of the fight against the revolutionary movement fell on the shoulders of the police departments. Already in 1881, the “Regulations on measures to maintain order and state peace” were published. According to this document, various government structures received greater rights in order to combat the revolutionary movement and people dangerous to the tsarist regime. For example, governors general could declare entire areas of the country to be in a state of emergency. Local authorities were given exclusive rights - closing educational institutions, suspending the publication of newspapers, expelling undesirable persons without a court decision, etc. Cases involving revolutionaries were transferred from the jurisdiction of civilian courts to military courts. In the 1880s A state body such as the Security Department, which was in charge of political investigation and engaged in the fight against revolutionaries, is gaining momentum. The Shlisselburg prison had a special section for political prisoners (Fig. 8).

Rice. 8. Shlisselburg Fortress ()

All of the above facts give reason to assume that under AlexanderIIIRussia was acquiring the features of a police state.

At the same time, the emperor considered it necessary to support those groups of the population that had proven themselves to be loyal to the authorities. First of all, this applies to the nobility, which suffered greatly during the time of Alexander II. To support the noble class by AlexanderIIIA number of legislative measures were taken.

Thus, in 1885, the State Noble Land Bank was opened, which issued special loans to nobles for the maintenance and management of landowners' farms (Fig. 9). It is also worth noting the law “On Zemstvo Precinct Chiefs” of 1889. Only a nobleman, who received great powers locally, could become a zemstvo chief. Zemstvo chiefs also controlled peasant communities. They could decide to punish peasants (even corporal) without a court decision.

Rice. 9. State Noble Land Bank in Voronezh ()

In the same spirit, the provisions on city provincial zemstvo institutions were maintained.Their goal was to promote the growth of the influence of the nobility in local governments. The property qualification for representatives of the urban class increased. For the nobles, on the contrary, it decreased. This increased the advantage of the nobles in various bodies of self-government.

A number of other measures were also taken. For example, vowels from the peasant class were now required to be pre-approved by the governor. Members of councils and city mayors became government officials. All these measures made local governments controlled by the state.

Alexander’s policy should also be considered reactionary.III in religious matters. Largely thanks to K.P. Pobedonostsev's position significantly strengthened Orthodox Church to the detriment of others. Thus, during the reign of Alexander III, persecution of Buddhists - Buryats and Kalmyks - began; Catholics - Poles; Jews who professed Judaism. This was done through various restrictions: a ban on the purchase of private property, bans on receiving education and holding public office, etc. At the same time, if a representative of another religious community converted to Orthodoxy, all such restrictions were removed from him. However, the state closely monitored converts and severely punished them if they deviated from the principles of Orthodoxy.

In general, it should be noted that such a policy was carried out with the aim of Russifying the outskirts of the Russian Empire. It was believed that in this way the state would maintain its unity.

In general, the reign of Alexander III is the time when Russian government resolutely abandoned the reforms begun by Alexander II. This was done for the sole purpose of preserving autocracy.

Bibliography

1. Bokhanov A.N. Emperor Alexander III. - M., 2001.
2. Lazukova N.N., Zhuravleva O.N. Russian history. 8th grade. - M.: “Ventana-Graf”, 2013.
3. Lyashenko L.M. Russian history. 8th grade. - M.: “Drofa”, 2012.
4. Troitsky N. Counter-reforms of 1889-1892. Preparation, Content of counter-reforms, Consequences // Russia in the 19th century: Course of lectures. - M.: Higher. school, 1997.
5. Chernukha V.G. Alexander III // Alexander the Third. Diaries. Memories. Letters. - St. Petersburg, 2001.

1. Akeksander 3.ru ().
2. Az.lib.ru ().
3. Studopedia.ru ().

Homework

1. Name the main methods of the government of Alexander III's fight against the revolution. What laws were passed in this direction and what did they lead to?
2. How did the state under Alexander III support segments of the population loyal to the authorities? What measures were taken for this and what laws were adopted in this direction?
3. What was the religious policy aimed at under Alexander III?