‘Tsar Liberator’. How accurately does this phrase describe Alexander II?

INTRO - Tsar, 1855-81. Attempts to modernise an empire lagging behind the major powers of the mid to late 19th century. Why? How? What were Alexander’s true intentions?

Why? Did Alexander embark on a programme of reforms to truly ‘liberate’ the Tsar’s subjects, or to consolidate and extend autocracy? Oscillation between two contradictory aims ultimately lost the Tsar the support of the Conservatives, the Liberals and the Radicals

How and to what extent a success?

Emancipation Edict - one of the most revolutionary pieces of socio-political engineering prior to the 20th century, but it’s main impact in its symbolism more than a practical measure: Russian serfs remained tied to the land, and an existence of oppression and subjugation 

Reforms to the judiciary and the press - truly a liberalising moment. A new class of lawyers emerged, and Russian intellectual life flourished. However, these developments were at odds with a regime that continued to attempt to quell discourse critical of the Tsarist regime

Education - a formerly ignorant and superstitious peasantry, whose primitive education had previously been directed by the church, suddenly had increased schooling chances. These reforms however decreased in significance as assassination attempts on Alex II led to a return to oppressive state policy

Conclusion - ultimately, a huge disparity between Alex’s personal ideology and the dominant discourse of his regime prevented the Tsar from being the man that could catapult Russia into a new liberal era. His policies, though well-meaning, let the genie out the bottle. He liberated the Russian people however, in effect, by exposing just how oppressive everyday Russian life had been for previous, and the current, generation