Russia in the Age of Reaction and Reform 1801-1881

Description

This eagerly awaited study of Russia under Alexander I, Nicholas I and Alexander II -- the Russia of War and Peace and Anna Karenina -- brings the series near to completion. David Saunders examines Russia's failure to adapt to the era of reform and democracy ushered into the rest of Europe by the French Revolution. Why, despite so much effort, did it fail? This is a superb book, both as a portrait of an age and as a piece of sustained historical analysis. Russia in the Age of Reaction and Reform 1801-1881 Contents List of tables and maps Preface FOREIGN ENEMIES AND DOMESTIC MINORITIES RUSSIAN BACKWARDNESS THE REFORMS OF 1801^i 2 Russia and the Napoleonic Wars INTRODUCTION THE DESCENT INTO WAR (1801-5) DEFEATING NAPOLEON (1812-14) THE CONGRESS OF VIENNA NOTES 3 Constitutions, Congresses and Classes under Alexander I THE NAPOLEONIC WARS AND RUSSIAN CONSTITUTIONALISM THE PLANS OF MIKHAIL SPERANSKII SPERANSKIFS DOWNFALL ALEXANDER AND THE KINGDOM OF POLAND THE ABANDONMENT OF REFORM POST-WAR DIPLOMACY THE PROBLEM OF DEMOBILIZATION SERFS, BUREAUCRATS AND MERCHANTS NOTES 4 The Decembrist Movement THE SUCCESSION CRISIS OF 1825 THE ROOTS OF REVOLT: BUREAUCRATS, WRITERS, ACADEMICS, MASONS AND SOLDIERS FIRST ATTEMPTS AT ORGANIZATION THE SCHISM OF 1821 PESTEL’ AND THE SOUTHERN SOCIETY DECEMBRISTS IN THE NORTH THE ABORTIVE RISING CONCLUSION NOTES 5 The Administrative and Social Policy of Nicholas I NICHOLAS I AS CONSERVATIVE NICHOLAS I AS REFORMER THE GOVERNMENTAL MACHINE THE BUREAUCRACY REFORMING THE LAW STATE PEASANTS SERFS CONCLUSION NOTES 6 The Emergence of the Russian Intelligentsia INTRODUCTION DISCONTENTED NOBLES COMMONERS OUTLETS FOR OPINION THE POLITICAL IMPLICATIONS OF LITERARY EXPRESSION WESTERNIZERS CONCLUSION NOTES 7 The Russian Bear WAR WITH THE OTTOMAN EMPIRE AND PERSIA NICHOLAS I AND THE POLISH PROBLEM UKRAINIANS AND JEWS THE CAUCASUS, CENTRAL ASIA, SIBERIA, FINNS AND BALTS THE TURKISH PROBLEM IN THE 1830S AND 1840S RUSSIA AND THE EUROPEAN REVOLUTIONS OF 1848 THE CRIMEAN WAR AND THE DEATH OF THE TSAR NOTES 8 The Politics of Emancipation THE ACCESSION OF ALEXANDER II AND THE END OF HOSTILITIES DOMESTIC UNREST ALEXANDER'S CAUTION THE CONTRADICTORY SIGNALS OF 1855 AND 1856 THE DECISION OF 1857 TO GRANT THE SERFS THEIR FREEDOM THE DECISION OF 1858 TO FREE THE SERFS WITH LAND GETTING PRINCIPLES ON TO THE STATUTE BOOK NOTES 9 In the Wake of Emancipation RESPONSES TO THE LEGISLATION OF 1861 MILITARY AND FISCAL REFORM THE CHURCH HIGHER EDUCATION LOCAL GOVERNMENT PRIMARY SCHOOLS COURTS THE PRESS THE WEAKNESSES AND STRENGTHS OF THE REFORMS OF THE 1860S NOTES 10 Russia and Europe RUSSIAN FOREIGN POLICY IN THE POST-CRIMEAN ERA COURTING FRANCE (1856-63) THE CONSEQUENCES OF THE POLISH REBELLION (1863-70) ATTEMPTING TO PROFIT FROM THE FRANCO-PRUSSIAN WAR (1870-5) VICTORY AND DEFEAT IN THE BALKANS (1875-8) NOTES 11 Populism TRIALS AND TERRORISTS POPULISTS AND SOCIAL CHANGE POPULISTS, EDUCATION, AND THE ROLE OF IDEAS KARAKOZOV AND NECHAEV THE CHAIKOVTSY AND THE GOING TO THE PEOPLE THE RISE AND FALL OF LAND AND LIBERTY THE PEOPLE'S WILL CONCLUSION NOTES Bibliography THE STATE IDEAS SOCIETY THE STATE IDEAS SOCIETY 368 Index