Documentos de Académico
Documentos de Profesional
Documentos de Cultura
While the reforms were welcomed by many Russian intellectuals, Russia was still a very autocratic state, limiting
political participation of her subjects to the Zemstvo level. There were a number of political groups criticizing the
political system; the radical NIHILISTS even advocated the assassination of those who were responsible for an
administration they regarded oppressive and evil. Political NIHILISM - a theory blaming the state authority for
abuse of power and social misery - began in Russia in 1862, had turned violent in 1866 and organized a series of
assassination attempts since 1877. In 1881 a group of them succeeded in assassinating Alexander II..
The POLISH REBELLION of 1863 (which had extended into Lithuania) had lead the Russian administration to
rethink their policy on religion and nationalities. The Catholic church was blamed for supporting the rebels; a
policy of RUSSIFICATION included the Catholic dioceses forcibly placed under the Russian Orthodox Church, the
introduction of Russian as language of education, an administrative reform etc. Polish noblemen in Belarus,
Lithuania, Ukraine were deported, their estates confiscated, resettled with Russian or local peasants. This policy
alienated the nationalities and, in the cases of Lithuania and Belarus, was responsible for causing Lithuanian etc.
nationalism to emerge.
MODEST MUSSORGSKY (1839-1881) began the tradition of great Russian composers; similar to those of
contemporary composers (Verdi, Wagner) his operas focussed on topics from the nation's history - Boris Godunov
(1869/70, in Russian language). Other composers of the time include NIKOLAY RIMSKY KORSAKOV (1855-1908)
and PETER ILYICH TCHAIKOVSKY (1840-1893); through their effort, Russia caught up with the traditional
centres of classical music, in an art which enjoyed support from official side. In 1862 the ST. PETERSBURG STATE
CONSERVATORY was founded as the first institution of its kind in Russia.
Russia's painters IVAN AIVAZOVSKY (1817-1900) and ALEXEY BOGOLIUBOV (1824-1896) chose topics from
Russia's military history and sceneries in and around Greece. ILYA REPIN (1844-1930) painted portraits and scenes
depicting the life of Russia's peasants.