The Emancipation Of The Serfs Flashcards
(10 cards)
What was serfdom?
A system where peasants were the property of their lords and tied to the land. Serfs paid rent and other dues in exchange for land and protection from their lords
How were serfs treated in terms of rights?
Serfs had no human rights and could be bought and sold
What restrictions did serfs face?
Serfs could not leave the village commune or marry without their lord’s permission. These restrictions led to limited movement of labor and urbanization
What was the significance of the decision to emancipate Russia’s serfs?
It was a momentous decision for Alexander II but drafting of the edict took time and was not completed until 1861
What were the key issues addressed in the emancipation of serfs?
How to compensate nobles for the loss of their land and status, how to ensure freed serfs had enough land to farm and how to ensure law and order was maintained. These issues were critical to the successful implementation of the Emancipation Edict
When was the Emancipation Edict applied to serfs?
In 1861 for privately owned serfs and in 1866 for state serfs. Ex-serfs were granted freedom and allotments of land to farm
How were landlords compensated after serfdom was abolished?
With government bonds and permission to retain some land from their estates. There was also a two-year period of ‘temporary obligation’ before full freedom to allow for transition and make arrangements
What were ‘redemption payments’?
Freed serfs had to make payments over 49 years. These payments were collected and paid by the mir, or village commune
What role did the mir play after emancipation?
They distributed land allotments, controlled farming, and collected and paid peasant taxes to the state. The mir was crucial in managing the affairs of the freed serfs
What were volosts?
Administrative units created to oversee the mirs and from 1863, volosts ran their own courts for civil and criminal cases involving peasants
