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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)
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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?
