Analysis and Evaluation of the Crimean War

• The Crimean War, Italian union and German unification all adversely affected Austria
  • leads to an enhancement of Magyar nationalism within the German dominated Austrian Empire
  • In 1867, they negotiated restructuring of Empire by the Ausgleich
• Austria is divided into two separate but equal parts under one rule. WTH?
  • German Austrians and Magyar Hungarians each have their own semi-autonomous state within empire that controls domestic affairs
  • Domestic policies include language, history, culture, schools, transportation, infrastructure, police.
  • National duties include military, economic, and foreign policy.
  • A united dual monarchy under Franz-Joseph I, Emperor of Austria and King of Hungary
  • Slavic nationalism is looking for a Magyar solution. The magyars want semi autonomy.
  • The new name for Austria is Austria Hungary (A-H); the hyphen shows that they are weak and divided.
  • looks to Germany as an ally
• Russia
  • Changes in Russia
    • severely exposed by Crimean War because they were unable to carry out a long term, total war, also called a war of material
    • they were a failure economically, socially and militarily, but were once the most feared in Europe.
    • Nicholas I's son, Alexander II becomes Czar (1855-1881). Alex is no reformer; he is a conservative autocrat.
    • Rules through 1) a large bureaucracy 2) army 3) secret police Okhrana and 4) laws decreed by the Czar called the Ukase.
  • Alexander II is unwilling to reform the autocracy. He turns to the serfs and gentry for his solution
    • Serfs
      • make up 90-95% of the population, tied to the land, landless, illiterate, superstitious, poor citizens and soliders
      • Alexander wants to create the serfs into more productive citizenry
    • Landed Gentry or the Boyars
      • are landed but don't own any land. Impoverished by crushing taxes due to trying to maintain a modern lifestyle, had to pay the Crimean War debt, and serfdom is not profitable anymore
      • Personal debt is satisfied by mortgaging 2/3 of serfs.
    • The Emancipation Act of 1861/ The Dual Solution in 1861
      • The serfs
        • receive their freedom
        • are forced into communal villages and the MIR
        • MIR's were ruled by village elders called hetman
        • they have to pay for freedom through Redemption Payments, which are made in cash or crops for 50 years (until 1911)
        • failure to pay results in forced labor
        • Muzhik Peasant labor is the Russian name
      • The Gentry
        • pays their debts and serfs are free
        • The Czar gives up 50% of all arable land to the Gentry who can lease, farm, or sell their land
      • The Result: severely impinged the creation of a mobile work force, and restricts the Industrial Revolution
      • The MIRs also served as bases for national taxes
  • Legal reforms in 1861
    • introduced juries, trained judges, right to an attorney, appeals, higher and lower courts
    • Local governments/councils that regulated local schools, roads, sanitation, etc. In Russia they were called Zemstvos
    • The Zemstvos were outlets for the intelligentsia and newly wealthy peasants to get active in the community
    • Later the Zemstvos will become centers of discontent. Council in Russian is Soviet
    • These reforms did not go far enough
      • in 1881 Alexander II proposes new reforms such as freedom of speech, press, restrict police, and hold national elections for an advisory council (not real) to Tsar called the DUMA
      • The day of announcement the people assassinate Alexander II and Alex III rejects reform and becomes more reactionary