A Moment's Hesitation: A Russian TL

Germaniac

Donor
"After a moment's hesitation I ran out of the crowd, I stumbled. I dropped the bomb on the ground in front of me. The Policemen saw the bomb and jumped on me."

As this is my first TL, and after mulling over several topics I finally sat down and began writing. Now the cries of ASB hopefully will not be coming for quite some time as I have done a decent amount of research on the Topic.

OTL: Four Assassins lined the military parade route. The First, Nikolai Rysakov, tossed the first bomb. Exploding under the Bulletproof carriage, it only damaged it. A second, Ignacy Hryniewiecki, threw a bomb after Alexander II left his carriage to see the sight of the explosion. This second bomb landed at his feet, and well eventually he bled to death.

POD: The First attacker falls while running out of the crowd, the police notice a package falling on the ground, the second bomb is then thrown soon after and explodes next to the carriage. The Czars men now realize what is going on and do not allow the Czar to leave his carriage and instead the leave the scene. The two remaining assassins miss there chance.

Chapter 1: A New Russia
Part 1: The First Constitution of Russia
And so it begins...

The Czar would return to the White Palace as determined as ever to fulfill his goals. While he now had faced, and survived, five assassination attempts. He now had to yet again put this event behind him and get back to the task at hand.

The Czars dream was to implement a series of reforms which could keep Russia from falling behind it's fellow European powers. Already he had emancipated the Serfs in the Nation, though the faults of that decision were beginning to shine through, he had reformed the military, created and effective judicial system and laid the ground work for a Constitutional monarchy. With this last assassination attempt Alexander realized he would have to move quickly, as his son was waiting in the wings with a much more conservative agenda.

The Czar had already implemented his democratic reforms in Finland. In an attempt to work out the kinks he created a focus group in Finland. With his test run a success He began the process of implementing it throughout Russia.

In 1883 Alexander II issued the First Constitution of Russia. In it established the Duma of Russia. This was most likely the most important of all of Alexanders reforms so far. While not perfect, it did create a government where the Czar was no longer Autocratic. The Constitution consisted of many key points and was modeled after the German Constitution. Chapter 1 defined the Roles of the Government. In it the emperor had the power to declare war (and peace), represent the Empire abroad, conclude treaties and alliances, and accredit and receive ambassadors. While the Duma had the ability to legislate on Business activity, Citizenship, Emigration, Administration of imperial revenue, Coinage and the issuing of paper money, Road/Rail/canal infrastructure, The Imperial Army and Navy,Post and telegraphic services, Consular representation abroad. And upon the declaration of War The Imperial Army and Navy are handed over the to Emperor. Voting rights were extended to all male property owners (including former serf who aquired land from private estates. Excluded Household Serfs.), 25 years of age. To appease the nobility the three layer voting system is enacted. The first tier (Nobility) would account for 50% of the overall seats, the Second Tier (propertied town-dwellers) would account for 35% of the overall seats, and the Third Tier (propertied rural peasants) would account for 15% of the overall seats. The chapter also establishes a Prime Minister position, appointed by the Emperor. The Prime Minister presides over the the Duma and the Cabinet, acts as a buffer between the Czar and the Duma.

The second chapter dealt with its external regions. The Grand Duchy of Finland would continue it's semi-indepentent status, with the Emperor as the Grand Duke. The Roles of government remain almost identical to the roles in Russia. Poland on the other hand did not experience these reforms. Poland would remain completely under the control of the Czar.

The Final chapter deals with the meeting of the Duma and the ability to disestablish it. The Duma must meet once a year. The most important of this chapter deals with the inability of the Czar to dissolve the Duma and only the Duma itself, with a 80% majority can disolve itself.

This, the most important reform of Alexander, would unfortunately not take effect until after his death. But Alexander had one last major change he would implement before his death.

Part 2 - An Unexpected Heir

May 1st, 1884 - Czar Alexander II dies, while his son Alexander is considered his Heir, the dying Czar named his third son Vladimir to be his Heir. The Czar, who had a strenuous relationship with Alexander at best, had been training Vladimir since the death of his first son. Alexander (the son) was deemed by the Czar as someone who would force Russia two steps back after taking one giant leap forward. Vladimir was less likely to shake the boat and well educated unlike his older brother.

This move did not go without its critics. Many of the Nobility who had lost power during the reign of Alexander did not wish to have these reforms continue. Reformers and Reactionaries were nearing civil war.


Alight so feedback, insight, thoughts, ASBish? Worth continuing.
 
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Certainly worth continuing. Though Alexander II was very ambivalent regarding reform; it was his fear of a landless, rural proletariat that drove emancipation, not any regard for democracy.

The Duma's based on the zemstvo, right? With the weighted curiae?

Is Alexander's brother Konstantin still around in this TL? He would certainly have had a large hand in reform of this scale; he was a lot tougher than his brother, far more capable of bellowing someone into submission.

EDIT: You might want to throw in a property clause for voting rights. Or perhaps adjust the curiae to 50% nobility, 35% propertied town-dwellers, 15% propertied rural peasants.
 
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Germaniac

Donor
Chater Two: A New Czar
Part Three: Coronations and Election

Young Nikolai peered out his window, he gazed in astonishment as the new Czar's carriage passed his Moscow Home. Nikolai had never seen a parade of this magnitude before, never the less the actual Czar. Only hours before in a grand ceremony, wrought with controversy, Vladimir I was crowned Czar, Emperor of All the Russias. Nikolai was astonished to see the massive crowds, held back by only the military, all coming out to see the Czar.

The Controversy stemmed from Alexander II stepping over of his Heir, Alexander, apparently due to his Reactionary view and "ungentlemanly" style. Vladimir on the other hand was a compassionate and intellectual man, who happened to sare many of his fathers view on reform. Unlike his father, though, Vladimir did not lack the willpower needed to do what was right. His first act, while needing to be approved by two Ministers of State, was to remove the title of Autocrat from his Title. He would be the first Emperor of the Constitutional Czarist Empire.

May 20th, 1884 - Czar Vladimir I is crowned. Reactionary forces are up in arms over Alexanders choice to pass over his Heir. Led by Pobedonostsev the Reactionaries voiced their outrages and declared Alexander the rightfull Czar. Alexander knowing full well his fathers ability to choose his successor, chose instead to not interfer. While Inflamed over being passed over, He was not about to destory the Empire for his own goals, He loved his country too much to do that.

April 1884 - First Elections to the Duma are finalized. it would be another four months until they convene for the first annual meeting.

Without the Support of the former heir, Alexander, the Reactionaries instead turn to the very device with they were fighting hardest against, The Duma. Amongst the Nobility the Conservitives won a 65% majority. 28% of the Nobility vote went more towards the moderate members. Status Quo types. The Remaining 7% voted for those who called for further Reforms.

In the second tier the results were fairly mixed, 10% voted for the Reactionaries, 60% for the moderates, and 30% for reformers. The Third Tier, the most populous and least represented, voted overwhelmingly for more reforms. Being that the Reactionaries were calling for less control by the Duma and back to autocratic rule, Not a single Conservitive was elected. 85% went to reformers and 15% to moderates.

When all was said and done the moderate candidates took the majority with 39.5 percent of the Vote, the Conservatives with 36.5% of the Vote, and the Reformers with 24% of the Vote. Czar Vladimir named Grand Duke Constantin, his liberal and strong willed Uncle, to be the Prime Minister of Russia.

Part four: The First Session
In August of 1884 the Duma met for the first time, with the new Prime Minister at its head.

The Nation was faced with several important issues which needed to be adressed. While official parties had not existed as of yet, the abrasive nature of the Reactionaries threw many of the moderates farther to the left. The Duma was set to meet for a minimum of a month and were forced to make some very important decisions in a very short time.

-Out of the First Session came
-The dominance of the Center-Left over the solitary and unflinching Conservatives.
- Created, on the British Model, A naval and army academy to train the russian officer corp.
- A Militay Academy is established. The Milyutin Academy in St. Petersburg.
- Naval Academy Established. Also in St. Petersburg.
- Freedom of the Press established (Already in place from previous Czar)


The Czar was pleased with these results, as it was his plan to continue pursuing a modernization of Russia.
 
May 1st, 1884 - Czar Alexander II dies, while his son Alexander is considered his Heir, the dying Czar named his third son Vladimir to be his Heir. The Czar, who had a strenuous relationship with Alexander at best, had been training Vladimir since the death of his first son. Alexander (the son) was deemed by the Czar as someone who would force Russia two steps back after taking one giant leap forward. Vladimir was less likely to shake the boat and well educated unlike his older brother.

This move did not go without its critics. Many of the Nobility who had lost power during the reign of Alexander did not wish to have these reforms continue. Reformers and Reactionaries were nearing civil war.
It would mean blatant coup d'etat.
Russian Imperial Succession Law provided for primogeniture, this was observed for almost one century before 1884, and any breaches of law would trigger unimaginable troubles, especially if Heir Apparent Alexander Alexandrovich did not comply with his father's will.
 
In 1883 Alexander II issued the First Constitution of Russia. In it established the Duma of Russia. This was most likely the most important of all of Alexanders reforms so far. While not perfect, it did create a government where the Czar was no longer Autocratic. The Constitution consisted of many key points and was modeled after the German Constitution. Chapter 1 defined the Roles of the Government. In it the emperor had the power to declare war (and peace), represent the Empire abroad, conclude treaties and alliances, and accredit and receive ambassadors. While the Duma had the ability to legislate on Business activity, Citizenship, Emigration, Administration of imperial revenue, Coinage and the issuing of paper money, Road/Rail/canal infrastructure, The Imperial Army and Navy,Post and telegraphic services, Consular representation abroad. And upon the declaration of War The Imperial Army and Navy are handed over the to Emperor. Voting rights were extended to all male property owners (including former serf who aquired land from private estates. Excluded Household Serfs.), 25 years of age. To appease the nobility the three layer voting system is enacted. The first tier (Nobility) would account for 50% of the overall seats, the Second Tier (propertied town-dwellers) would account for 35% of the overall seats, and the Third Tier (propertied rural peasants) would account for 15% of the overall seats. The chapter also establishes a Prime Minister position, appointed by the Emperor. The Prime Minister presides over the the Duma and the Cabinet, acts as a buffer between the Czar and the Duma.

The second chapter dealt with its external regions. The Grand Duchy of Finland would continue it's semi-indepentent status, with the Emperor as the Grand Duke. The Roles of government remain almost identical to the roles in Russia. Poland on the other hand did not experience these reforms. Poland would remain completely under the control of the Czar.

The Final chapter deals with the meeting of the Duma and the ability to disestablish it. The Duma must meet once a year. The most important of this chapter deals with the inability of the Czar to dissolve the Duma and only the Duma itself, with a 80% majority can disolve itself.
Such Constitution would be ASB-ish. To give up the Tsar's power over armed forces? To establish full parliamentary control over finances? With such laws there would be no need for the Tsar at all.
However, it could be possible to create the Duma with internal policy responsibility ('Business activity, Road/Rail/canal infrastructure' and so on), including limited supervision of revenues. Of course, the Tsar would have veto power over all the Duma acts.
 

Germaniac

Donor
I modeled it very closely with to the Imperial German Constitution. The only real difference is the three tier system is focused closer to the middle than solely the conservatives (This would be a major difference though). It did mean to put the Czar having a veto power over a piece of Duma legislation.
 

Germaniac

Donor
Well, I am ready to restart this TL. However I will be reworking the above constitution because after reading it over and doing a bit more research I decided it was a bit ASBish. The updates Constitution is as follows

First Constitution of Russia.

There were several chapters to the Constitution and it was an extremely complicated document. To simplify things it was broken down as such

  • Chapter 1: Establishment of the Duma, the lower house of the parliament, a representative of the Russian people to establish laws and reforms in the name of the Czar.
  • Chapter 2: Establishment of the Upper House, or the Imperial Council. Half elected through local governments, quarter appointed by the Czar, and another quarter representing the clergy and other esteemed institutions. Has the ability to introduce law, directly advises the Czar, in session throughout the year.
  • Chapter 3: Defines the roles of the Duma. The Duma would have the authority to regulate internal business activity, control over internal Road/Rail/canal infrastructure, and the passing of all laws introduced in the upper house. Only in session every quarter of the year.
  • Chapter 4: Defines the divine right of the Emperor to rule the people of Russia, established the Emperors ability to veto all bills from the Duma/Council. Established the Czar as the sole authority in external affairs, War, the Armed Forces, establishing treaties, and sending out and receiving Diplomats.
  • Chapter 5: Established the office of the First Minister. The First Minister presides over the the Duma, the Cabinet, and the Upper House. He acts as a buffer between the Czar and the Elected Government.
  • Chapter 6: Established the voting rights of the people of Russia. Voting rights were extended to all male property owners (including former serf who acquired land from private estates. Excluded Household Serfs.), 25 years of age. To appease the nobility the three layer voting system is enacted. The first tier (Nobility) would account for 50% of the overall seats, the Second Tier (propertied town-dwellers) would account for 35% of the overall seats, and the Third Tier (propertied rural peasants) would account for 15% of the overall seats.
  • Chapter 7: This Chapter dealt with the internal autonomous regions of the Empire.
    • The Grand Duchy of Finland would continue it's semi-independent status, with the Emperor as the Grand Duke. The Roles of government remain almost identical to the roles in Russia.
    • Congress Poland would be a complete autocratic regions, under full and unchallenged authority of the Czar.
  • Chapter 8: The Final chapter deals with the meeting of the Duma and the ability to disestablish it. The Duma must meet once a year. The most important of this chapter deals with the Czar and his ability to dissolve the Duma. The Czar can only dissolve the Duma if he announces reelections within 2 months, and the election must occur within a year.
 
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First Constitution of Russia.

There were several chapters to the Constitution and it was an extremely complicated document. To simplify things it was broken down as such

  • Chapter 1: Establishment of the Duma, the lower house of the parliament, a representative of the Russian people to establish laws and reforms in the name of the Czar.
Possible.
  • Chapter 2: Establishment of the Upper House, or the Imperial Council. Half elected through local governments and half appointed by the Czar. Has the ability to introduce law, directly advises the Czar, in session throughout the year.

Most probably, there would be elected representatives not only from provinces, but also from the Church, Academy of Sciences, universities, lawyers' college and so on.
Chapter 3: Defines the roles of the Duma. The Duma would have the authority to regulate internal business activity, control over internal Road/Rail/canal infrastructure, and the passing of all laws introduced in the upper house. Only in session every quarter of the year.
Chapter 8: The Final chapter deals with the meeting of the Duma and the ability to disestablish it. The Duma must meet once a year.
So, how often would be the Duma in session? Every quarter or once a year?
Chapter 4: Defines the divine right of the Emperor to rule the people of Russia, established the Emperors ability to veto all bills from the Duma/Council. Established the Czar as the sole authority in external affairs, War, the Armed Forces, establishing treaties, and sending out and receiving Diplomats.
There would be no objections to that Chapter... at least on the Tsar's part.:)
Chapter 5: Established the office of the First Minister. The First Minister presides over the the Duma, the Cabinet, and the Upper House. He acts as a buffer between the Czar and the Elected Government.
I doubt that there would be no Duma Speaker, as position independent from the First Minister. In OTL there were marchals of nobility, acting as speakers of local councils and elected by those councils, and it was so even during darkest absolutist epochs of Russian history. At the same time, the First Minister could be Chairman of the Upper House (Imperial Council, or State Council in OTL parliamentary system of Russian Empire after 1905).
Chapter 6: Established the voting rights of the people of Russia. Voting rights were extended to all male property owners (including former serf who acquired land from private estates. Excluded Household Serfs.), 25 years of age. To appease the nobility the three layer voting system is enacted. The first tier (Nobility) would account for 50% of the overall seats, the Second Tier (propertied town-dwellers) would account for 35% of the overall seats, and the Third Tier (propertied rural peasants) would account for 15% of the overall seats.
I think that peasant quota could be much greater, because the monarchy distrusted townspeople, and sometimes even aristocracy; at the same time the Tsars were confident that peasantry was loyal to the throne. Consequently, it would be very possible to have peasant tier enlarged to, say, 35% of the Duma seats, and urban tier decreased accordingly to 15%, with noble tier structured towards preferences for the Russian provincial landowners and disadvantages for the non-Russian provincial nobles, and also for the aristocracy (of whatever ancestry) living in the imperial capitals (gerry-mandering, only made in Russia). Besides, Jews (and other non-Christians) could be excluded from voters' lists in some cities (especially in Russia proper) and limited to, say, third of voters in other regions.



Chapter 7: This Chapter dealt with the internal autonomous regions of the Empire.
  • The Grand Duchy of Finland would continue it's semi-independent status, with the Emperor as the Grand Duke. The Roles of government remain almost identical to the roles in Russia.
  • Congress Poland would be a complete autocratic regions, under full and unchallenged authority of the Czar.
Maybe, Poles would receive limited local self-government.
Chapter 8: The Final chapter deals with the meeting of the Duma and the ability to disestablish it. The Duma must meet once a year. The most important of this chapter deals with the inability of the Czar to dissolve the Duma and only the Duma itself, with a 80% majority can dissolve itself.
It would make dissolution of the Duma impossible (even if it couldn't agree on budget, for example); moreover, it would severely limit the Tsar's authority (let's remember, that even now British Queen may dissolve the House of Commons, and she does so every five to four years). Maybe, it could be better to give the sovereign the right to dissolve the Duma in some circumstances, but provide for the Tsar's obligation to have new elections not later than x days after the dissolution?
 
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I've never seen the text of the document that Alexander II was due to sign before his murder so I don't want to comment too much on your proposed constitution though i do think its worth remembering that Alexander whilst have a liberal streak (and having a number of liberal ministers) was still a committed autocrat and I suspect any reform would have been much closer to what was conceeded following the abortive 1905 revolution but far more organised and with scope for further development.
To the issue of the succession - on the death of his eldest son Nicholas there was gossip that the new heir was reluctant but Alexander II never wavered in accepting that Alexander Alexandrovitch was the heir. As has been said Russian succession law had been firmly established by Paul I nearly a century earlier what's more upholding it formed part of the oath taken by each successive Emperor it's excessively unlikely that Alexander would have removed his second son from the succession. Whilst their relationship had deteriorated particularly after the death of the Empress and the remarriage of Alexander it hadn't become so bad that their was any open breach although it was certainly known that the heir had grave doubts about his father's policies.
 
- Created, on the British Model, A naval and army academy to train the russian officer corp.
- A Militay Academy is established. The Milyutin Academy in St. Petersburg.
I think it much more likely that any new Military Academies would be established on the American 4 year college style, rather than the British OTC styule.
 

Germaniac

Donor
I will have an update for tomorrow But I will answer a few of the questions, from last to first

1. While the American Style would be preferred I presumed that the majority of Russians entering the academy would never have had the chance to have a full education. With the British model, from what I have read, students would attend, receive an education and learn to be officers. I doubt general Education, as opposed to a military one, would be preferred by The Russian Military at the time.

2. Alexander as a liberal. He was not a liberal, He was by all means still an autocrat, However he could see unlike other Romanovs the future of Russia. He saw that reforms needed to be enacted and unlike his OTL successor he acted on these. I have had trouble deciding on how to deal with dissolving the Duma specifically. Most of my New Constitution was based on the 1906 one (with a bit of the German Imperial one mixed in), Since the proposed on by alexander was never released.

Alexander, In my interpretation, was simply reacting to what he saw in the country at the time. That Is why I left the Tsar the Powers that he has. I also looked at his reforms in Finland. From what I can see, the Finish reforms seem like a testbed for what eventually he would have done across Russia.

3. The Big Issue, succession. This was a controversial one for me. While succession had been established, I believe that while the Pauline law states that the eldest son Must become the next czar, Alexander is not bound to it. As an Autocrat he has the final say and Tradition has been forgoed before. While it might be streching it a bit to take that interpretation I think that if one gives Alexander II more time to solidify the Reforms, he will pass over the son who wishes to rollback the strides he made.

4. I misspelled that that, the Duma will only meet once a year. Any more than that seems too much.

5. I will likely add provisions for Non-Orthodox people of the Empire. Jews will likely get much less representation than a third. The Jewish populations of Russia were, as most of you know, treated pretty crappy.

6. You are quite right about the duma being disbanded, I wanted to find a way that the Czar couldn't just up and get rid of it, like in the 1906 constitution. However what is there does seem a bit excessive.
 
You could end your "succession crisis" by having Tsarevich Alexander die in the 1881 bomb attack. I don't know if he was in the carriage OTL, but you could place him there TTL. If Alexander II then dies in 1884, his successor, Nicholas II would only be 16, and so Vladimir could serve as his regent for a few years and help mold Nicholas into a reformist Tsar. Also, it would be helpful to the continuation of reform in Russia if you found a plausable way to "dispose" of Konstantin Pobedonostsev prior to Alexander II's death.
 
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