Portrayal of Emperor Alexander II’s Liberal Reforms in School Education in Late 19^th - Early 20^th Centuries

Abstract

The article is devoted to the study of the system of ideas about the liberal reforms of 1860-1870 in Russia, formed in the framework of teaching history in primary and secondary schools. Attention is paid to the official position of the Ministry of education on the basis of the study of catalogs of recommended literature and programs on the history of Russia of the second half of 19th - early 20th centuries. The views of the scientific and pedagogical community are analyzed in the textbooks of Russian history of the 1860-1917. The question of the degree of perception by the students of the image of reforms of Alexander II is solved by analyzing the examination answers of graduates of pedagogical courses at the Vyatka city college in 1903. It is shown that in the complex of representations central place was occupied by the abolition of serfdom, which received unambiguous enthusiastic and positive comments. Attention is drawn to the awareness of the close relationship between the peasant and other reforms, among which there are the introduction of Zemstvo and city self-government, new courts, universal conscription and the development of education. The author concludes that the image of the reforms of Alexander II was evaluated first of all morally from the standpoint of the embodiment of the Emperor’s desire for good, justice, improvement of the people. It is proved that this approach is easily found a response in students, which indicates its perception in the people’s environment.

Keywords

• «великие реформы»
• alexander ii
• “great reforms”
• abolition of serfdom
• school
• school textbooks
• history of russia