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Russia was living in an age far behind the rest of Europe and the people of Russia were becoming restless with the need to progress. Nicholas was oblivious to this and did nothing to help the situation. Although the serfs had been emancipated their conditions were no better. The class structure of Russian society lay at two extremes and the peasants were so accustomed to this way of life. "The ties that held them (peasants) to their master and through him to the Tsar were often subtle ones, founded as much on ignorance, superstition and a strange love, as on fear. Consequently the peasants not only saw little possibility for change but also showed little desire to achieve it."" .
Tsar Nicholas II, supported by Alexandra, not only had poor advisers but a hugely corrupt system working for him to maintain the strength of his dynasty. What Nicholas failed see was that by suppressing his people he left them with an increased desire to rebel. .
Nicholas II favoured ministers who gave him "distorted pictures of Russian life- . He also distrusted many as "he felt them to be intellectually superior to himself and feared they sought to usurp his sovereign prerogatives- . Alexander Kerensky, Russian Prime Minister of 1917 said Nicholas found "the daily work of a ruler terribly boring- . Nicholas became ignorant to the increasing problems such as poverty and opposition, simply because he did not want to hear it. .
Alexandra had a lot of control over Nicholas and many of her own ideas she pushed Nicholas to enforce. Alexandra was determined to keep the autocracy alive and she consistently urged Nicholas to ignore his ministers and their ideas of sharing power with the people. .
Nicholas II's corrupt system included organisations and groups such as, the secret police service, the Okhrana and Cossack soldiers. An anti-revolutionary and anti-Semitic league known as the Black Hundreds' also had the unofficial approval of the Tsar.
