Question

Which two elements of Alexander II’s reforms kept the serfs from gaining political power?

1 Serfs were banned from leaving rural areas to work in urban factories.
2 Serfs had to pay landowners a large tax and a fee for loans.
3 The zemstvos in charge of collecting taxes exploited the lower classes.
4 The czar had the power to overrule the decisions made by the zemstvos.
5 The zemstvos had representatives from only one social class.

Answer 1

The correct answers should be
2 Serfs had to pay landowners a large tax and a fee for loans.
3 The zemstvos in charge of collecting taxes exploited the lower classes.

Zemstvos were like local governments that gained power due to the rise of capitalism which allowed accumulation of wealth. The serfs were no longer serfs but they had to pay huge taxes which led to civil unrest since poverty rose and often people starved to death because of inability to pay debt and taxes.