Alexander II issued a document of emancipation for the Russian serfs in 1861. \u00a0In it, he stipulates that the nobility agreed, for the benefit of their country, to release the serfs from their status at the end of a two year reconstruction period. \u00a0After serfdom is abolished, the nobles are required to give their former serfs land so that they may continue to earn a living.<\/p>\n
This document echoed the Enlightenment principles of the former reformist monarchs. Firstly, the nobles are given a social duty to the lower classes as well as mandating that the now-free peasants give back to society. \u00a0Secondly, there is much discussion of the inherent rights of the free man like the ability to gather property and the benefits of freedom. \u00a0Also, the document decrees that the government will lend assistance to the freed serfs. \u00a0These stipulations are very reminiscent of Catherine’s charters to the nobility and the towns.<\/p>\n
The way this document was written seems like a very clever manipulation on the part of Alexander II. \u00a0Although the monarchy is responsible for continuing the tradition of serfdom, he transfers the blame to the nobles for the failure of the institution, citing their lack of “paternal attitude” that was required. \u00a0Then it is repeated several times that the nobles made the decision to free the serfs voluntarily, although this is probably not the case since it was to their economic misfortune to free the serfs. \u00a0He also requires the nobles to establish their own terms when freeing their serfs, not developing a standardized practice throughout the country. \u00a0In using this language, Alexander is taking a preventative step against the failure of such an action, so that if freeing the serfs fails, the Tsar will not be the one to blame. \u00a0The nobles, which already harbor resentment from the serfs will have to defend themselves in the face of a new free body of peasants. \u00a0It is almost a means of further centralizing power to the monarch and making the nobles weaker.<\/p>\n
On a related note, the best quote of this reading is as follows, “However beneficial a law may be, it cannot make people happy if they do not themselves organize their happiness under protection of the law.” \u00a0To me, this completely sums up what I know about Russian government, and it is highly ironic since laws put the serfs into poverty in which they were unable to organize their happiness.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
Alexander II issued a document of emancipation for the Russian serfs in 1861. \u00a0In it, he stipulates that the nobility agreed, for the benefit of their country, to release the serfs from their status at the end of a two … Continue reading