The abolition of serfdom in Russia

In 1861, an event occurred in Russia, which many advanced people of that time were waiting for, and which forever changed the course of history. Emperor Alexander II issued a manifesto that made the peasants free people who did not depend on the landlords. What made the monarch take this step? What were the reasons for the abolition of serfdom in Russia?

Prerequisites and reasons for the reform

By the mid-nineteenth century, the need to eliminate serfdom was becoming increasingly evident. The actively developing market relations slowed down the slave status of the peasants. In the 1840s, an industrial revolution began in the country - the transition from manual labor to machinery. The development of factories and plants required workers who were sorely lacking - the landlords did not really want to remain without the free labor force. If they let the peasants go to work, they set the condition to give the master some of the money they earned. This, of course, increased the cost of labor and further inhibited the development of industry.

The preservation of serfdom also affected agriculture. The existence of forced peasant labor hampered the development of advanced technologies for cultivation of land, the introduction of agricultural machinery. The landowners went the simpler way - trimming the peasant allotments and increasing corvee. Such a policy led the peasants to become increasingly impoverished, and landlords - to bankruptcy. The nobles more and more often got into debt, laying down their estates. At the end of the 1850s 65% of the landlord peasants were incorporated by landlords into banks, like some real estate. Therefore, the abolition of serfdom in Russia could happen and in a slightly different way - the state would have to take away the landed estates for debts. But this would cause another palace coup, and Alexander II did not go to such a step.

Attempts to somehow change the existing position of the peasants have been made by the government before. So, in 1803, the royal decree On Free Farmers was issued, according to which peasants could be freed from serfdom for ransom. But only 47 thousand people were able to become free during the period from 1803 to 1825. The reason was a high ransom amount - 400 rubles in silver per person, and the reluctance of the landowners to part with the free labor. In the years 1804-1805. In Livonia and Estland, the peasants made lifelong users of their allotments, and they were allowed to inherit them. Expanded and their rights - as early as 1801 they were allowed to lease land, later allowed to trade and engage in contracts. Since 1844, the government began to carry out the so-called inventory reform, according to which the exact number of peasant duties that were registered in the lists-the so-called inventories-was established. Their compilation was never completed because of the resistance of the landlords. For the ruling circles, it became increasingly obvious that cosmetic changes in this sphere could not be dispensed with: a complete abolition of serfdom in Russia was necessary.

The discontent of the peasants with their position grew every year. It especially increased after the unsuccessful Crimean War, which worsened the financial situation of the country. During the period from 1856 to 1860, 815 peasant speeches occurred in Russia (for comparison: in the years 1850-1855 there were only 215 of them). Defeat in the war had an effect on the ruling circles: it became obvious that Russia had lost, primarily because of its economic backwardness. And the growth of peasant riots did not bode well for the government. Thus, the circumstances under which the abolition of serfdom in Russia occurred, can be briefly described as follows: the economic crisis and the danger of a peasant war.

Preparation of reform

March 30, 1856 Alexander II addressed the Moscow nobility with a speech in which he described the situation in the country and said that it is better to liberate the peasants by the government and landlords until they did it themselves. So the emperor unequivocally hinted to the nobles that the coming changes are inevitable.

At first, the Peasants' Committee was engaged in the projects for the liberation of the peasants, but its activities did not yield tangible results, and then in 1858 a wider circle of people engaged in the preparation of the reform. The provincial noble committees were organized, preparing drafts of the reform, which were sent to the Main Committee. These drafts were considered by the Editorial Committees that existed under the committee. The peasant question was also discussed in the press, which made the reform irreversible. As was to be expected, the landlords abolished serfdom in Russia, to put it mildly, was not pleased. Most of the projects provided by the provincial committees offered to release the peasants either completely without giving them land or leaving scanty plots. Liberal figures (KD Kavelin, AMUnkovskii) suggested that peasants be released from the land, but for a large sum. In the end, the liberal version of the reform was adopted by the Editorial Commissions. But later, many of its provisions made it more profitable for the landlords.

Reform and its consequences

Finally, on February 19, 1861 , on the next anniversary of his reign, Alexander II approved the Manifesto and the Regulations on Peasant Reform. Landlord peasants turned into "rural inhabitants" and were given civil and economic rights. Now they did not depend on the landlord and could choose their own occupation - to trade, engage in crafts, independently make any transactions, move to other estates, defend their rights in court, marry without someone's permission. The peasants had to buy their land from the landowner. 20-25% of the amount they paid themselves, the rest paid the state. Before paying their share to the landowner, the peasants were considered temporarily liable, that is, they had to fulfill all previous obligations. As the land was redeemed by agreement with the landlord, the transition to the ransom was extended for a long time. If it were not for the debts of the landlords to the state that forced them to agree to the purchase of land by the peasants, the abolition of serfdom in Russia would last forever. For peasants, the redemption of land turned into a long-term bondage - they paid back the state-paid sum for 49 years, and even with interest.

And yet, despite its shortcomings, peasant reform had positive consequences for the country's economy. The transformation of peasants into free property owners gave them the opportunity to engage in market relations. The industry was able to fill the shortage of labor. And most importantly - the implementation of the reform has triggered new transformations in the country - zemstvo, judicial, financial, military and other reforms that have changed the economic and political structure of the Russian Empire.