Alexander I of Russia - Domestic Policy

Domestic Policy

At first, the Orthodox Church exercised little influence on the Emperor’s life. The young tsar was determined to reform the outdated, centralised systems of government that Russia relied upon. While retaining for a time the old ministers who had served and overthrown Emperor Paul, one of the first acts of his reign was to appoint the Private Committee, comprising young and enthusiastic friends of his own—Victor Kochubey, Nikolay Novosiltsev, Pavel Stroganov and Adam Jerzy Czartoryski—to draw up a plan of domestic reform, which was supposed to result in the establishment of a constitutional monarchy in accordance with the teachings of the Age of Enlightenment.

In a few years the liberal Mikhail Speransky became one of the Tsar’s closest advisors, and drew up many plans for elaborate reforms. By the Government reform of Alexander I the old Collegia were abolished and new Ministries created in their place, having at their head ministers responsible to the Crown. A Council of Ministers under the chairmanship of the Sovereign dealt with all interdepartmental matters.

The State Council was created in order to improve technique of legislation. It was intended to become the Second Chamber of representative legislature.

The Governing Senate was reorganized as the Supreme Court of the Empire. The codification of the laws initiated in 1801 was never carried out during his reign.

Also Alexander wanted to resolve another crucial issue in Russia—the future of the serfs, although this was not achieved until 1861 (during the reign of his nephew Alexander II). New law allowed all classes (the serfs excepted) to own land, the privilege that was previously confined to the nobility.

Universities of Dorpat (Tartu), Vilna (Vilnius), Kazan and Kharkov were newly founded or reconstructed.

After 1815 the military settlements (farms worked by soldiers and their families under military control) were introduced, with the idea of making the army, or part of it, self-supporting economically and for providing it with recruits.