Venäjän historia 1878-1918

A vivid portrait of the Russian Empire’s final decades unfolds in this richly detailed narrative, tracing the nation’s desperate quest for a modern constitutional order. Beginning with Alexander II’s sweeping reforms—most notably the emancipation of the serfs and the promise of local self‑government—the book shows how the emperor’s vision collided with entrenched autocracy, ethnic diversity, and a largely illiterate populace. The assassination of the “great liberator” thrust the reforms into turmoil, and the ensuing power struggle between reactionary advisors such as the influential Pobedonostsev and emerging radical voices brings the era’s stark contradictions into sharp focus.

The author then turns to the economic and social fabric of the empire, exploring how agricultural distress, burgeoning industrialisation, and the rise of a politicised intelligentsia heightened tensions across the vast territory. By weaving together political intrigue, fiscal policy, and the everyday experience of peasants and city dwellers, the work offers listeners a nuanced glimpse of a society teetering between reform and upheaval—setting the stage for the monumental changes that loom on the horizon.