When Alexander I was first crowned emperor in 1801 he promised grand social reforms that would modernize the country and make it more similar to the rest of Europe. However as the years went by, it became increasingly clear that Alexander would not keep his promises. The young intellectuals of Russia are increasingly becoming more dissatisfied with the situation. They start forming secret societies in which they discuss how they would form their own government. They are particularly interested in reducing the monarchy's power, abolishing serfdom and introducing freedom of speech to Russia. Among said secret societies, one of the biggest ones was the Union of Prosperity, which in 1822 went on to split into a more Northern and a Southern Society. These groups both want freedom but have somewhat different definitions of what freedom is. The Northerners want constitutional monarchy while the Southerners want to establish a republic. However, both societies coincide in one thing: the biggest obstacle standing between them and freedom is the Tsar.