Alexander II's reign after 1865 is colloquially known as the "Imperial Dawn". Both him and the Duma promoted a large number of reforms to Russian society, trending towards liberalism. As a result, Russia's economy grew at unprecedented rates; by the 1880s it had the largest railway system in the world, was a leading producer in many industries, and had seen both a scientific and cultural rennaissance. In 1881 the Tsar was assassinated by socialist bomb-throwers; his successor Alexander III was more conservative, but due to the Duma's greater political power and social influence, aided by enormous amounts of private capital in the hands of a growing Russian bourgeoise, he was largely powerless to stop Russia's new system. The return of reaction to the Empire came about because of the Imperial Army and its ties to reactionary radicals, but this would not unfold until the coronation of Nicholas II in 1894, beginning a historical period known as Nicholas II's Autocracy.
Russian Imperial Dawn
World History - Victorian Age