Emancipation Flashcards
What does Anderson say about emancipation?
“the grant of individual freedom and a minimum of civil rights to twenty million people previously in bondage was the single greatest liberating measure in the whole history of Europe”
What humanitarian impacts did the emancipation have?
20 million people freed-liberating
Alexander II brought relief to his people
What economical impacts did the emancipation have?
the size of peasants’ agricultural holdings declined, by on average 4%, loss higher in the more fertile regions
delayed economic development due to introduction of internal passports- Falkus disagrees
How did emancipation delay economic development?
Internal passports were restrictive + prevented the development of a mobile labour force
The debt incurred by peasants to make the redemption payments reduced their purchasing power, and hence the volume of internal demand
Why were internal passports introduced?
To regulate the movement of peasants in their district
What does Falkus argue about internal passports?
They were not restrictive; large numbers were issued and there was an increase in labour supply as a result of the loss in land ownership by so many peasants
What are historians’ views on the political effects of the emancipation?
Alexander missed the opportunity to build a new Russia because of his determination to preserve autocracy
What were the positive impacts of the emancipation for peasants?
(7 things)
Given freedom from noble interference + control of their lives
End to feudal dues + payments in kind
Freed from fear of being forced to do military service
Freedom to move within Russia + emigrate
New class of rich peasant emerged (the Kulaks)
Mir’s power strengthened
Some peasants increased land holding
What were the negative impacts of the Emancipation for peasants?
“free to starve”
received 20% less land & quality was poor-distributed by landowners who kept best for themselves
had to pay redemption payments, life long debt + burden, passed onto children, these payments tied them to the village
controlled by Mir
subsistence farming made peasants more vulnerable to famine
Peasants felt disappointed –> riots
still subject to special communal courts, the volosts, so did not have full citizen rights
When was the Emancipation Edict?
1861
How many peasant riots were there after the emancipation?
647 riots in the first 4 months of 1861
1159 for the whole year affecting 1176 estates, required the army to restore order on 337 estates
How long did it take for the whole process of emancipation to be completed?
over 20 years
