How Did The Tsar Liberator Have A Negative Impact On Russia

The Reformation period of Tsar Alexander II’s reign stapled him in Russian history as the “Tsar-Liberator”. The Emancipation of Serfs, and the Zemstvo reform had a major positive impact on Russia in both economic and political ways. Through the scope of historical perspective, Alexander II is deserving of the title “Tsar-Liberator” for making great advancements in Russia even when it opposed prior Russian culture and norms. The Emancipation of Serfs was the boldest of all of Alexander II’s reforms. To emancipate serfs meant also to work against age long Russian tradition of Serfdom. Serfdom worked so well for the Tsar because Russia was so backwards it kept the serfs “simple and loyal.” (Pipes 162) This is why reforms and advancements, like railroads and improved …show more content…
The more the serfs saw and became educated the more they would question the monarchy. Serf emancipation started slowly before Alexander II. Nicholas I who ruled before Alexander II set the stage for Alexander II’s reforms by creating the framework in which a republic state could be developed (Hosking 266). Serf emancipation before Alexander II was slow but the movement was still happening. Count P.D Kiselev led the first serfdom abolishment, in which he called for state owned serfs and private serfs to be emancipated. Kiselev’s idea was to define and secure legal rights and obligations for serfs, encourage economic production, ensure each household had enough land for subsistence, improved sanitation and medical conditions. P.D Kiselev even went as far as to reclaim land from the gentry and give it to emancipated private serfs to ensure they would have