The Anti-Reforms of Alexander III had three main components:
1) Repression of political opponents and religious minorities
2) Undoing some of the reforms of his father
3) And to restore Russia's position internationally.
The purpose of Russification was to rid Russia of western, particularly liberal, ideas that Alexander believed had weakened Russia and compromised its national identity - he wanted to reclaim Russia’s Russian-ness. To achieve this, many liberals and foreigners were exiled, books were banned and political meetings broken up. There was a religious aspect of Russification: Orthodox Christians were favoured over other religions in many ways, especially in Imperial appointments, and the Orthodox Church had to preach obedience to the Tsar, as well as being made to inform the authorities if anyone confessed to anything seditious in confession (previously confession had been confidential between parishioner and priest).
One of the main political anti-reforms was the neutering of the Zemstvos, the rural councils. In 1889, the powers that the Zemstvos had were removed; local magistrates were also removed and replaced by people who were directly appointed and answerable to the Minister of the Interior.
The industrialisation of Russia, began under Alexander II, was meant to cement Russia's position as a Great Power, able to compete both militarily and commercially with France, Britain and Turkey.
