in Russia by the middle of the 19th century agrarian and peasant question became acute socio-political problem.Of all the states of Europe serfdom it was only there that create obstacles to social, political, and economic development.Preservation of serfdom was due to the peculiarities of the autocracy.Since the founding of the country and in its absolutism, the government relied solely on the nobility, and therefore had an obligation to all of its interests into account.
Most public and government officials agreed that serfdom in Russia dishonors the State for it in the category of backward.The theme of the peasant liberation constantly discussed the public in the late 18th - mid-19th centuries.The abolition of serfdom occupied the minds of the Slavophiles, the Westerners, the Decembrists.The question of the peasant liberation raised some deputies of the Legislative Commission - Chuprov, Maslov Polezhaev.The abolition of serfdom and worried educators, and other radical social activists.
the middle of the 19th century have caused the destruction of strengthened serf system factors.It should be noted that this system has outlived its usefulness, mainly from the economic point of view.Based on the work of the serfs, farming landowners to decline.The Government was concerned about such a state as to support landlords spent huge amounts of money.
abolition of serfdom was necessary country.Under the conditions of peasant dependence was difficult industrial upgrading powers.Serfdom was an obstacle to the accumulation of capital that has been invested in production.Furthermore, it is difficult to form a market of free labor force, increase the purchasing power of the population.
abolition of serfdom means giving the peasants personal freedom and civil rights.The Manifesto was adopted in 1861, February 19.Under the new reform, the peasant could enter into transactions, to own movable and immovable property, to act as a legal entity.Since then, people were freed from the tutelage of the landowner, could marry without his permission.Peasants were allowed to serve and learn in other classes (merchants and townspeople).
Serfdom abolished, however, the personal freedom of the peasant was limited.Mainly, it concerned the conservation community.Bourgeois development in the country has been hampered communal land ownership, mutual responsibility, outside the plots.Farmers at that time were the only social stratum, who pay a poll tax, carrying conscription, and could be subjected to beatings as punishment.
provisions Emancipation of peasants regulate giving them plots of land.However, in the process of addressing this issue allotments for freed were cut significantly.In addition, the resulting donned peasant had to pay a ransom.Of course, the money he did not have.To retrieve the landlords ransom was given to the peasants by the state loan for 49 years, is 80% of the plots.However, in 1906, farmers have made the abolition of the redemption payments.It should be noted that by the time they were given the order of 2 mln. Rubles, which is almost four times higher than the real market value of the land in 1861.At the same time, the peasant landowner payments become long-term and have created a so-called time-obliged to state, which was abolished only in 1881.
According to contemporaries, the peasant reform was a great event.The manifesto released more than 30 million people, has created the conditions for the economic development of the country at the time.However, the abolition of serfdom became difficult compromise between society and the state.
