The historical significance of the Tsar Alexander II’s assassination?

Question by shygirl88: what was the historical significance of the Tsar Alexander II’s assassination?
I am doing a report and I have found out that there does not seem to be any significance at all except a stricter guard towards revolutionaries. If you can help me that would be great! Thanks you very much!

Answers and Views:

Answer by Spellbound
Alexander felt that Russia’s backwardness was the major reason that they lost the Crimean War. The British & French were able to re-supply their troops far easier than were the Russians, and the war was on Russian territory.
He set about reforming Russia to try to compete with the other European powers. In agriculture he freed the serfs – well, almost – as they had to buy their freedom over 50 years. And he consolidated the position of the Mir – the village council / court and land distribution agency.
He brought in political reforms in the cities and in the provinces to increase participation in political life. He began a programme of industrialisation to build up the resources needed for a modern military power – textiles for uniforms, iron and steel for guns and railways and new railway lines to connect the country together. He also liberalised some of the harsh laws on political groupings.

His assassination made his successor, his son Alexander III reign in the reform programme, clamp down on revolutionary activity, impose harsher conditions on the workers and abandon some of his political reforms. Alexander III also clamped down on minorities, notably the Jewish population of the Empire. Alexander III’s anti-reform policies had the effect of radicalising more people, of angering the intelligentsia, and alienating the peasants and workers from the monarchy.

One key significance of Alexander III’s reign was the failed assassination attempt by a certain Alexander Ul’ianov. Ul’ianov’s hanging had a profound affect on his younger brother – Vladimir – and he devoted his life to overthrowing the monarchy. He later took the pen name – Lenin.

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