Russian civil war in the 1860's

I was just curious, what were the chances of civil war occuring in Russia after Alexander II announced his plan for the emancipation of the serfs? What faction would be leading the fight against him? Which of his siblings or other relatives could challange him for the throne at this time?
 

Wolfpaw

Banned
I was just curious, what were the chances of civil war occuring in Russia after Alexander II announced his plan for the emancipation of the serfs? What faction would be leading the fight against him? Which of his siblings or other relatives could challange him for the throne at this time?
There were no chances of a civil war occurring after the emancipation. Literally zero. None of the nobles were strong enough to rebel, nor would they have any interest in doing so since the nobility was only preserved by the goodwill of the tsars, and most of the potentates were very pro-reform. There's a greater chance of a conflict if Alexander doesn't emancipate the serfs since there was already a social, political, and economic crisis on its way (even though the government probably wasn't aware of the economic one).

And don't get excited at the prospect of a conflict over Alexander not emancipating the serfs and a crisis breaking out; it won't be a "civil war," it will be a bunch of peasant revolts that will be bloodily put down.

Emancipation will come eventually, it was just a matter of time. It only happened when it did because Nicholas I was too afraid to do it (though he was very sympathetic to it) and Alexander II just wanted to get it over with.
 
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