The Road to Emancipation of the Serfs

The Road to Emancipation of the Serfs Why not sooner?

Why not sooner? • Fear of change • “freedom brought weaknesses and problems in western countries” • Could take autocracy away • Attitude of the peasantry ( blamed the landlords not the Tsar) - majority of them did not understand or were not interested in the question

A II; motives • Russia needed economic and social progress • Intellectual climate • Fears of revolution from the below • Rumours; emancipation was imminent • Crimean war; its end could give freedom for the serfs who had been in service • Revolt of the Black Sea coast peasantry ( 1856); gave AII the possibility to give a speech in favour of the emancipation

Drawing up the decree and terms • Nobility´s reaction • AII forced the nobility to produce a plan dealing with the emancipation; how should it be done? - plan was published in 1857 - each province was instructed to form a committee to consider the proposals →in 1859 the Tsar appointed drafting commissions to examine the proposals

Decree.. • Representatives from the pro-reform provinces were invited to Moscow, the decree was completed under AII.s guidance • In 1861 the emancipation decree was published

Terms • The serfs were now free to marry of to enter a trade • But they were subject to a justice system organised by the MIR * The serfs were to receive land from the nobility, who were given compensation by the state • redemption payments by the peasantry • The Mir / the collective unit /village

Results of the emancipation • Effects on the peasantry • Riots • Why were they asked to pay? • Serfs in the western area were charged a fair price for the land, but in the non-black soil provinces in the north they were charged twice the land´s value * the division of the land was decided by the landlords

Peasants/ The Mir • Peasants were still subject to MIR • They were collectively responsible for the redemption payments( which were to high) • Increase in the number of landless peasants • Strip system continued in many areas • Unfair distribution of land in terms of quantity and quality • Peasants also lost many customary rights to woodland and common pasture

Should the limited nature of the emancipation be condemned? • Almost all historians do agree: - the Emancipation degree was a momentous event in Russian history - it was of great importance - it failed to achieve its aims Richard Pipes; too cautious, too little, too late • A bit unfair on A II - the speed of the reform - nobility had to be pleased / redemption payments - MIR/ peasants should have given the right to distribute the land

Effects on the nobility/ state • The position of the nobility had been based on the serfdom • They were condemned as a class • Russia made progress, but compared to western countries, was far behind!

Assessment • Russia was not ready to abandon autocracy * In political, social and economic terms Russia in 1861 was still a backward nation • The outcome of the reforms depended on the other reform introduced by A II, had they been more successful... • A II did bring about a surprising, an almost revolutionary degree of reform and change!

Assessment • Population growth very rapid • Industry takes funds from agriculture • Mir provides stability but prevents innovation • Redemption payments too heavy for many Paper 3 Why and with what results during his reign, did A II emancipate the serfs in Russia?

The Road to Emancipation of the Serfs