In what year serfdom was introduced, you will learn from this article.

Serfdom is a certain complex of relations that have developed over centuries. Its formation was influenced by several factors - mentality, territorial characteristics of the lands, government system and way of life.

When and who introduced serfdom in Rus'?

Among researchers and historians there is still no single opinion about when serfdom appeared in Rus'. Some scientists believe that this system began to be laid during the development of Rus', around the 11th century. Other researchers are inclined to believe that serfdom in Rus' appeared after the rise of the city of Moscow in the 15th century.

Stages of development of serfdom in Rus'

The first centuries of the existence of Rus' can be called the period of laying the preconditions for the development of serf relations. Several stages of their development can be distinguished:

• 1497 - the introduction of St. George's Day as a period for the transition to new legal relations of peasants.
• 1581 - a decree was issued on Reserved years, that is, years in which the transition is impossible even on St. George’s Day.
• 1590s - St. George's Day was canceled due to the difficult situation.
• 1649 - the Council Code was introduced, a certain set of laws that abolished the five-year investigation of peasants. Serfdom became hereditary.

Who introduced serfdom in Ukraine?

Serfdom in Ukraine it was introduced on April 21, 1775 by Empress Catherine II. By her decree she legally consolidated the serfdom in Ukraine. Although “unofficially” serfdom existed on Ukrainian lands back in the days Kievan Rus. The peasants depended on the feudal lords - they worked, paid taxes and even partially belonged to him. Bogdan Khmelnitsky began a liberation war in the middle of the 17th century and almost completely eradicated this phenomenon.

The legally formalized status of dependence of peasants is called serfdom. This phenomenon characterizes the development of society in the countries of Eastern and Western Europe. The formation of serfdom is associated with the evolution of feudal relations.

The origins of serfdom in Europe

The essence of the feudal dependence of peasants on the landowner was control over the personality of the serf. He could be bought, sold, prohibited from moving around the country or city, even issues of his personal life could be controlled.

Since feudal relations developed depending on the characteristics of the region, serfdom also took shape in different countries at different times. In Western European countries it took hold in the Middle Ages. In England, France, Germany, serfdom was abolished by XVII century. The times of Enlightenment are rich in reforms concerning the liberation of peasants. Eastern and Central Europe are regions where feudal dependence lasted longer. In Poland, the Czech Republic, and Hungary, serfdom began to take shape in the 15th-16th centuries. It is interesting that the norms of feudal dependence of peasants on feudal lords did not develop.

Characteristic features and conditions for the formation of feudal dependence

The history of serfdom allows us to trace characteristic features state and social system, under which relations of dependence of peasants on rich landowners are formed:

1. The presence of strong centralized power.
2. Social differentiation based on property.
3. Low level of education.

On early stage In the development of feudal relations, the goals of enslavement were to attach the peasant to the land plot of the landowner and prevent the escape of workers. Legal norms regulated the process of paying taxes - the absence of population movements made it easier to collect tribute. During the period of developed feudalism, prohibitions became more diverse. Now the peasant not only could not independently move from place to place, but also did not have the right and opportunity to purchase real estate, land, and was obliged to pay a certain amount to the landowner for the right to work on his plots. Restrictions for the lower strata of the population varied regionally and depended on the characteristics of the development of society.

The origins of serfdom in Rus'

The process of enslavement in Russia - at the level of legal norms - began in the 15th century. The abolition of personal dependence was carried out much later than in the others European countries Oh. According to censuses, the number of serfs in different areas of the country varied. Dependent peasants are already in early XIX centuries began to gradually move into other classes.

Researchers are looking for the origins and causes of serfdom in Russia in the events of the period Old Russian state. Formation social relations occurred under conditions of strong centralized power - at least for 100-200 years, during the reign of Vladimir the Great and Yaroslav the Wise. The main set of laws of that time was “Russian Truth”. It contained norms that regulated the relations between free and unfree peasants and landowners. The dependents were slaves, servants, purchasers, and rank and file - they fell into bondage under various circumstances. The Smerds were relatively free - they paid tribute and had the right to land.

Tatar-Mongol invasion and feudal fragmentation became the reasons for the collapse of Rus'. The earth has no time single state became part of Poland, Lithuania, and Muscovy. New attempts at enslavement were made in the 15th century.

The beginning of the formation of feudal dependence

In the XV-XVI centuries in the territory former Rus' a local system was formed. The peasant used the landowner's allotments according to the terms of the agreement. Legally he was a free man. The peasant could leave the landowner for another place, but the latter could not drive him away. The only restriction was that you could not leave the site until you paid its owner.

The first attempt to limit the rights of peasants was made by Ivan III. The author of the Code of Law approved the transition to other lands during the week before and after St. George’s Day. In 1581, a decree was issued banning peasants from going out in certain years. But this did not attach them to a specific area. A decree of November 1597 approved the need to return fugitive workers to the landowner. In 1613, the Romanov dynasty came to power in the Moscow kingdom - they increased the time frame for searching and returning fugitives.

About the Council Code

In what year did serfdom become a legal norm? The officially dependent status of the peasantry was approved by the Council Code of 1649. The document differed significantly from previous acts. The main idea of ​​the Code in the field of regulating relations between the landowner and the peasant was the ban on the latter moving to other cities and villages. The place of residence was determined by the territory in which a person lived according to the results of the census of the 1620s. Another fundamental difference between the norms of the Code is the statement that the search for fugitives becomes unlimited. The rights of peasants were limited - the document practically equated them with serfs. The worker's farm belonged to the master.

The beginning of serfdom meant a number of restrictions on movement. But there were also norms that protected the landowner from the willfulness. A peasant could complain or sue, and could not be deprived of land simply by decision of the masters.

In general, such norms consolidated serfdom. It took years to complete the process of formalizing complete feudal dependence.

History of serfdom in Russia

After the Council Code, several more documents appeared that consolidated the dependent status of peasants. The tax reform of 1718-1724 finally attached it to a specific place of residence. Gradually, restrictions led to the formalization of the slave status of the peasants. In 1747, landowners received the right to sell their workers as recruits, and after another 13 years - to send them into exile in Siberia.

At first, the peasant had the opportunity to complain against the landowner, but since 1767 this was abolished. In 1783, serfdom extended to the territory. All laws confirming feudal dependence protected only the rights of landowners.

Any documents aimed at improving the situation of the peasants were virtually ignored. Paul I issued a decree about but in fact the work lasted 5-6 days. Since 1833, landowners received a legally enforceable right to dispose personal life serf.

The stages of serfdom make it possible to analyze all the milestones in the consolidation of peasant dependence.

On the eve of the reform

The crisis of the serf system began to make itself felt with late XVIII century. This state of society hampered the progress and development of capitalist relations. Serfdom became a wall that separated Russia from the civilized countries of Europe.

It is interesting that feudal dependence did not exist throughout the country. There was no serfdom in the Caucasus, Far East, in Asian provinces. At the beginning of the 19th century it was abolished in Courland and Livonia. Alexander I issued a law on the purpose of which was to ease the pressure on the peasants.

Nicholas I made an attempt to create a commission that would develop a document abolishing serfdom. Landowners prevented the elimination of this kind of dependence. The emperor obliged landowners, when releasing a peasant, to give him land that he could cultivate. The consequences of this law are known - landowners stopped freeing serfs.

The complete abolition of serfdom in Rus' will be carried out by the son of Nicholas I - Alexander II.

Reasons for agrarian reform

Serfdom hampered the development of the state. The abolition of serfdom in Rus' became a historical necessity. Unlike many European countries, industry and trade developed less well in Russia. The reason for this was the lack of motivation and interest of workers in the results of their work. Serfdom became an obstacle to the development of market relations and the completion industrial revolution. In many European countries it successfully ended at the beginning of the 19th century.

Landowner farming and feudal relations have ceased to be effective - they have outlived their usefulness and do not correspond to historical realities. The labor of serfs did not justify itself. The dependent position of the peasants completely deprived them of their rights and gradually became a catalyst for rebellion. Social discontent was growing. A reform of serfdom was needed. Resolving the issue required a professional approach.

An important event, the consequence of which was the reform of 1861, is the Crimean War, in which Russia was defeated. Social problems and foreign policy failures pointed to the unproductivity of domestic and foreign policy states.

Opinions on serfdom

Many writers, politicians, travelers, and thinkers expressed their views on serfdom. Plausible descriptions of peasant life were censored. Since the beginning of serfdom, there have been several opinions about it. Let us highlight two main, opposite ones. Some considered such relationships to be natural for a monarchical political system. Serfdom was called a historically determined consequence of patriarchal relations, useful for educating the population and an urgent need for a full and effective economic development. The second, opposite to the first, position speaks of feudal dependence as an immoral phenomenon. Serfdom, according to fans of this concept, destroys the country's social and economic system. Supporters of the second position include A. Herzen and K. Aksakov. A. Savelyev’s publication refutes any negative aspects serfdom. The author writes that statements about the misfortunes of peasants are far from the truth. The 1861 reform also received mixed reviews.

Development of a reform project

For the first time, Emperor Alexander II spoke about the possibility of abolishing serfdom in 1856. A year later, a committee was convened that was supposed to develop a reform project. It consisted of 11 people. The commission came to the conclusion that it was necessary to create special committees in each province. They must study the situation on the ground and make their amendments and recommendations. In 1857 this project was legalized. Main idea the original plan for the abolition of serfdom - the elimination of personal dependence while maintaining the rights of landowners to land. A transition period was envisaged for society to adapt to the reform. The possible abolition of serfdom in Rus' caused misunderstanding among landowners. In the newly formed committees there was also a struggle over the conditions for carrying out the reform. In 1858, the decision was made to ease the pressure on the peasants, rather than abolish the dependence. The most successful project was developed by Y. Rostovtsev. The program provided for the abolition of personal dependence, consolidation transition period, providing land to peasants. Conservative-minded politicians did not like the project - they sought to limit the rights and size of peasants' plots. In 1860, after the death of Ya. Rostovtsev, V. Panin began developing the program.

The results of several years of committee work served as the basis for the abolition of serfdom. The year 1861 became a landmark year in Russian history in all respects.

Proclamation of the "Manifesto"

The agrarian reform project formed the basis of the “Manifesto on the Abolition of Serfdom.” The text of this document was supplemented by the “Regulations on Peasants” - they described in more detail all the subtleties of social and economic changes. The abolition of serfdom in Rus' took place this year. On this day, the emperor signed the Manifesto and made it public.

The program of the document abolished serfdom. The years of unprogressive feudal relations are a thing of the past. At least that's what many thought.

Main provisions of the document:

• The peasants received personal freedom and were considered “temporarily obligated.”
• Former serfs could have property and the right to self-government.
• Peasants were given land, but they had to work it and pay for it. Obviously, the former serfs did not have money for ransom, so this clause formally renamed personal dependence.
• The size of land plots was determined by landowners.
• Landowners received a guarantee from the state for the right to buy out transactions. Thus, financial obligations fell on the peasants.

Below is the table “Serfdom: abolition of personal dependence”. Let's analyze the positive and negative results of the reform.

The year 1861 in the history of Russia became the year of a turning point in social foundations. The feudal relations that had become entrenched in society could no longer be useful. But the reform itself was not well thought out, and therefore had many negative consequences.

Russia after the reform

The consequences of serfdom, such as unpreparedness for capitalist relations and a crisis for all classes, indicate that the proposed changes were untimely and ill-considered. The peasants responded to the reform with large-scale protests. Uprisings swept many provinces. During 1861, more than 1,000 riots were recorded.

The negative consequences of the abolition of serfdom, which equally affected both landowners and peasants, affected the economic condition of Russia, which was not ready for change. The reform eliminated the existing long-standing system of social and economic relations, but did not create a basis and did not suggest ways for the further development of the country in new conditions. The impoverished peasantry was now completely destroyed both by the oppression of the landowners and the needs of the growing bourgeois class. The result was a slowdown in the capitalist development of the country.

The reform did not free the peasants from serfdom, but only took away their last opportunity to feed their families at the expense of the landowners, who were obliged by law to support their serfs. Their plots have decreased compared to pre-reform ones. Instead of the quitrent they earned from the landowner, huge payments of various types appeared. The rights to use forests, meadows and reservoirs were actually completely taken away from the rural community. The peasants were still a separate class with no rights. And still they were considered as existing in a special legal regime.

The landowners suffered many losses because the reform limited their economic interests. The monopoly on peasants eliminated the possibility of free use of the latter for the development of agriculture. In fact, the landowners were forced to give the peasants the allotment land as their own. The reform was characterized by contradictions and inconsistency, the absence of a solution to the further development of society and the relationship between former slaves and landowners. But, ultimately, a new historical period was opened, which had progressive significance.

The peasant reform had great value for the further formation and development of capitalist relations in Russia. Among the positive results are the following:

After the liberation of the peasants, an intensive trend appeared in the growth of the non-professional labor market.

The rapid development of industry and agricultural entrepreneurship was due to the provision of civil and property rights to former serfs. The class rights of the nobility to land were eliminated, and the opportunity arose to trade land plots.

The reform of 1861 became a salvation from the financial collapse of the landowners, as the state took on huge debts from the peasants.

The abolition of serfdom served as a prerequisite for the creation of a constitution designed to provide people with their freedoms, rights and responsibilities. This became the main goal on the path to the transition from an absolute monarchy to a constitutional one, that is, to a rule of law state in which citizens live according to current laws, and everyone is given the right to reliable personal protection.

The active construction of new factories and factories led to the development of belated technical progress.

The post-reform period was distinguished by the strengthening of the position of the bourgeoisie and the economic collapse of the weakening of the noble class, which still ruled the state and firmly held power, which contributed to the slow transition to the capitalist form of economic management.

At the same time, the emergence of the proletariat as a separate class is noted. The abolition of serfdom in Russia was followed by zemstvo (1864), city (1870), and judicial (1864), which were beneficial to the bourgeoisie. The purpose of these legislative changes was to bring the system and administrative management in Russia into legal compliance with the new developing social structures, where millions of liberated peasants wanted to gain the right to be called people.

March 3 (February 19, O.S.), 1861 - Alexander II signed the Manifesto “On the most merciful granting to serfs of the rights of free rural inhabitants” and the Regulations on peasants emerging from serfdom, which consisted of 17 legislative acts. On the basis of these documents, peasants received personal freedom and the right to dispose of their property.

The manifesto was timed to coincide with the sixth anniversary of the emperor's accession to the throne (1855).

Even during the reign of Nicholas I, a large amount of preparatory material was collected for carrying out the peasant reform. Serfdom during the reign of Nicholas I remained unshakable, but significant experience was accumulated in solving the peasant question, which his son Alexander II, who ascended the throne in 1855, could later rely on.

At the beginning of 1857, a Secret Committee was established to prepare peasant reform. The government then decided to make its intentions known to the public, and the Secret Committee was renamed the Main Committee. The nobility of all regions had to create provincial committees to develop peasant reform. At the beginning of 1859, Editorial Commissions were created to process draft reforms of the noble committees. In September 1860, the draft reform developed was discussed by deputies sent by noble committees, and then transferred to the highest government bodies.

In mid-February 1861, the Regulations on the Liberation of Peasants were considered and approved State Council. On March 3 (February 19, old style), 1861, Alexander II signed the manifesto “On the most merciful granting to serfs of the rights of free rural inhabitants.” The final words of the historical Manifesto were: “Sign yourself with the sign of the cross, Orthodox people, and call upon us God’s blessing on your free labor, the guarantee of your home well-being and the good of society.” The manifesto was announced in both capitals on a major religious holiday - Forgiveness Sunday, and in other cities - in the week closest to it.

According to the Manifesto, the peasants were assigned civil rights- freedom to marry, independently conclude contracts and conduct court cases, acquire real estate in one’s own name, etc.

Land could be purchased by both the community and individual peasants. The land allocated to the community was for collective use, therefore, with the transition to another class or another community, the peasant lost the right to the “secular land” of his former community.

The enthusiasm with which the release of the Manifesto was greeted soon gave way to disappointment. Former serfs expected complete freedom and were dissatisfied transitional state"temporarily obliged" Believing that the true meaning of the reform was being hidden from them, the peasants rebelled, demanding liberation with land. Troops were used to suppress the largest uprisings, accompanied by the seizure of power, as in the villages of Bezdna (Kazan province) and Kandeevka (Penza province). In total, more than two thousand performances were recorded. However, by the summer of 1861, the unrest began to subside.

Initially, the period of stay in a temporary state was not established, so the peasants delayed the transition to redemption. By 1881, approximately 15% of such peasants remained. Then a law was passed on the mandatory transition to buyout within two years. During this period, redemption transactions had to be concluded or the right to land plots would be lost. In 1883, the category of temporarily obliged peasants disappeared. Some of them executed redemption transactions, some lost their land.

The peasant reform of 1861 had a huge historical significance. It opened up new prospects for Russia, creating an opportunity for the broad development of market relations. The abolition of serfdom paved the way for other major transformations aimed at creating a civil society in Russia.

For this reform, Alexander II began to be called Tsar the Liberator.

The material was prepared based on information from open sources

Serfdom in Russia was formed gradually and, according to historians, there are many reasons for this. Back in the 15th century, peasants could freely leave for another landowner. The legal enslavement of peasants took place in stages.

Code of laws of 1497

Code of Laws of 1497 - beginning legal registration serfdom.

Ivan III adopted a set of laws of a single Russian state- Lawyer. Article 57 “On Christian Refusal” stated that the transfer from one landowner to another is limited to a single period for the entire country: a week before and a week after St. George’s Day - November 26. The peasants could go to another landowner, but they had to pay elderly for the use of land and yard. Moreover, the more time a peasant lived with a landowner, the more he had to pay him: for example, for living for 4 years - 15 pounds of honey, a herd of domestic animals or 200 pounds of rye.

Land reform of 1550

Under Ivan IV, the Code of Law of 1550 was adopted; he retained the right of peasants to move on St. George’s Day, but increased the payment for elderly and established an additional duty, in addition, the Code of Law obliged the owner to answer for the crimes of his peasants, which increased their dependence. Since 1581, the so-called reserved years, in which the transition was prohibited even on St. George’s Day. This was connected with the census: in which region the census took place, in that region the reserve year. In 1592, the census was completed, and with it the possibility of peasants transferring was completed. This provision was secured by a special Decree. Since then there has been a saying: “Here’s St. George’s Day for you, grandma...

The peasants, deprived of the opportunity to move to another owner, began to run away, settling for life in other regions or on “free” lands. The owners of the escaped peasants had the right to search for and return the fugitives: in 1597, Tsar Fedor issued a Decree according to which the period for searching for fugitive peasants was five years.

“The master will come, the master will judge us...”

Serfdomin the 17th century

In the 17th century in Russia, on the one hand, commodity production and the market appeared, and on the other, feudal relations were consolidated, adapting to market ones. This was a time of strengthening of autocracy, the emergence of prerequisites for the transition to an absolute monarchy. The 17th century is the era of mass popular movements in Russia.

In the second half of the 17th century. peasants in Russia were united into two groups − serfs and black-sown Serf peasants ran their farms on patrimonial, local and church lands, and bore various feudal duties in favor of the landowners. Black-nosed peasants were included in the category of “taxable people” who paid taxes and were under the control of the authorities. Therefore, there was a mass exodus of black-mown peasants.

Government Vasily Shuisky tried to resolve the situation, to increase the period of search for fugitive peasants to 15 years, but neither the peasants themselves nor the nobles supported Shuisky’s unpopular peasant policy.

During the reign Mikhail Romanov further enslavement of the peasants took place. Cases of concessions or sales of peasants without land are increasing.

During the reign Alexey Mikhailovich Romanov a number of reforms were carried out: the procedure for collecting payments and carrying out duties was changed. In 1646 - 1648 A household inventory of peasants and peasants was carried out. And in 1648, an uprising called the “Salt Riot” took place in Moscow, the cause of which was an excessively high tax on salt. Following Moscow, other cities also rose. As a result of the current situation, it became clear that a revision of the laws was necessary. In 1649 it was convened Zemsky Sobor, at which it was accepted Cathedral Code, according to which the peasants were finally attached to the land.

Its special chapter, “The Court of Peasants,” abolished the “fixed summers” for the search and return of fugitive peasants, the indefinite search and return of fugitives, established the heredity of serfdom and the right of the landowner to dispose of the property of the serf. If the owner of the peasants turned out to be insolvent, the property of the peasants and slaves dependent on him was collected to repay his debt. Landowners received the right of patrimonial court and police supervision over peasants. Peasants did not have the right to speak in court independently. Marriages, family divisions of peasants, and inheritance of peasant property could only occur with the consent of the landowner. Peasants were forbidden to keep trading shops; they could only trade from carts.

Harboring runaway peasants was punishable by a fine, whipping and prison. For the murder of another peasant, the landowner had to give up his best peasant and his family. Their owner had to pay for runaway peasants. At the same time, serf peasants were also considered “state tax collectors,” i.e. bore duties for the benefit of the state. Peasant owners were obliged to provide them with land and implements. It was forbidden to deprive peasants of land by turning them into slaves or setting them free; it was forbidden to forcibly take away property from peasants. The right of peasants to complain about their masters was also preserved.

At the same time, serfdom extended to the black-sown peasants, the palace peasants who served the needs of the royal court, who were forbidden to leave their communities.

The Council Code of 1649 demonstrated the path to strengthening Russian statehood. It legally formalized serfdom.

Serfdom inXVIII century

Peter I

In 1718 - 1724, under Peter I, a census of the peasantry was carried out, after which household taxation in the country was replaced by poll tax. In fact, the peasants maintained the army, and the townspeople maintained the fleet. The size of the tax was determined arithmetically. The amount of military expenses was divided by the number of souls and the amount was 74 kopecks. from peasants and 1 rub. 20 kopecks - from the townspeople. The poll tax brought more income to the treasury. During the reign of Peter I, a new category of peasants was formed, called state, they paid into the state treasury, in addition to the poll tax, a quitrent of 40 kopecks. Under Peter I, a passport system was also introduced: now if a peasant went to work more than thirty miles from home, he had to receive a note in his passport about the date of return.

Elizaveta Petrovna

Elizaveta Petrovna simultaneously increased the dependence of the peasants and changed their situation: she eased the situation of the peasants, forgiving them arrears for 17 years, reduced the size of the per capita tax, changed the recruitment (divided the country into 5 districts, which alternately supplied soldiers). But she also signed a decree according to which serfs could not voluntarily enroll as soldiers and allowed them to engage in crafts and trade. This put the beginning of delamination peasants

Catherine II

Catherine II set a course for further strengthening of absolutism and centralization: the nobles began to receive land and serfs as a reward.

Serfdom in19th century

Alexander I

Of course, serfdom hampered the development of industry in general development state, but despite this, agriculture adapted to new conditions and developed according to its capabilities: new agricultural machines were introduced, new crops began to be grown (sugar beets, potatoes, etc.), new lands were developed in Ukraine, the Don, and the Volga region. But at the same time, the contradictions between landowners and peasants are intensifying - corvée and quitrent are being taken to the limit by the landowners. Corvee, in addition to working on the master's arable land, included work in a serf factory and performing various economic works for the landowner throughout the year. Sometimes the corvee was 5-6 days a week, which did not allow the peasant to run an independent farm at all. The process of stratification within the peasantry began to intensify. The rural bourgeoisie, represented by peasant owners (usually state peasants), gained the opportunity to acquire ownership of uninhabited lands and lease land from landowners.

The secret committee under Alexander I recognized the need for changes in peasant policy, but considered the foundations of absolutism and serfdom unshakable, although in the future it envisaged the abolition of serfdom and the introduction of a constitution. In 1801, a decree was issued on the right to purchase land by merchants, burghers and peasants (state and appanage).

In 1803, a decree “On Free Plowmen” was issued, which provided for the liberation of serfs for the purchase of land by entire villages or individual families by mutual consent of peasants and landowners. However, the practical results of this decree were negligible. The provision did not apply to landless peasant farm laborers.

Alexander I tried to solve the peasant question again in 1818. He even approved the project of A. Arakcheev and Minister of Finance D. Guryev on the gradual elimination of serfdom by buying out landowner peasants from their plots with the treasury. But this project was not practically implemented (with the exception of granting personal freedom to the Baltic peasants in 1816−1819, but without land).

By 1825, 375 thousand state peasants were in military settlements (1/3 of the Russian army), from which the Separate building under the command of Arakcheev, the peasants served and worked at the same time, discipline was strict, punishments were numerous.

AlexanderII – Tsar-Liberator

Alexander II, who ascended the throne on February 19, 1855, set the following goals as the basis for the peasant reform:

• liberation of peasants from personal dependence;
• turning them into small owners while maintaining a significant part of landownership.

On February 19, 1861, Alexander II signed the Manifesto on the abolition of serfdom; it changed the fate of 23 million serfs: they received personal freedom and civil rights.

Manifesto on the abolition of serfdom

But for the plots of land allotted to them (until they redeem them), they had to serve labor service or pay money, i.e. began to be called “temporarily obligated”. The sizes of peasant plots varied: from 1 to 12 dessiatines per male capita (on average 3.3 dessiatines). For the plots, the peasants had to pay the landowner an amount of money that, if deposited in the bank at 6%, would bring him an annual income equal to the pre-reform quitrent. According to the law, the peasants had to pay the landowner a lump sum for their allotment about a fifth of the stipulated amount (they could pay it not in money, but by working for the landowner). The rest was paid by the state. But the peasants had to return this amount to him (with interest) in annual payments for 49 years.

A. Mukha "Abolition of serfdom in Rus'"

The peasant reform was a compromise solution to the abolition of serfdom (this path is called reform), it was based on the real circumstances of life in Russia mid-19th century, the interests of both peasants and landowners. The disadvantage of this program was that, having received freedom and land, the peasant did not become the owner of his plot and a full member of society: peasants continued to be subjected to corporal punishment (until 1903), they actually could not participate in agrarian reforms.

Let's summarize

Like any historical event, the abolition of serfdom is not assessed unambiguously.

It is hardly worth perceiving serfdom as a terrible evil and only as a feature of Russia. It was in many countries of the world. And its cancellation did not happen immediately. There are still countries in the world where slavery has not been abolished by law. For example, slavery was abolished in Mauritania only in 2009. The abolition of serfdom also did not automatically mean an improvement in the living conditions of the peasants. Historians, for example, note the deterioration of the living conditions of peasants in the Baltic states, where serfdom was abolished under Alexander I. Napoleon, having captured Poland, abolished serfdom there, but it was reintroduced in this country and abolished only in 1863. In Denmark, serfdom was officially abolished in 1788, but peasants had to work corvée on the landowners' lands, which was finally abolished only in 1880.

Some historians even believe that serfdom in Russia was a necessary form of existence for society in conditions of constant political tension. It is possible that if Russia did not have to constantly repel the onslaught from the southeast and west, it would not have arisen at all, i.e. Serfdom is a system that ensured the national security and independence of the country.

Monument to Emperor Alexander II, Moscow

For some reason, we associate serfdom with history Russian Empire. However, Russia was far from the first and not the only country in Europe, where the order arose to “attach” the peasant to the land. We decided to find out where corvee still existed and what form it took.

Serfdom: causes of occurrence

By serfdom we mean a system of legal norms that prohibited peasants from leaving the land plots to which they were “attached.” The essence of serfdom was that the peasant could not alienate or change this plot of land, and was completely subordinate to the feudal lord (in Russia - the landowner), who was allowed to sell, exchange and punish serfs.

What was the reason for the emergence of serfdom? During the feudal system, agriculture began to develop intensively, which, along with trophies obtained in military campaigns, became the source of livelihood for the nobility. The area of ​​arable land expanded, but someone needed to cultivate it. And here a problem arose: the peasants were constantly looking for better land plots and working conditions, and therefore often moved from place to place.

The owner of the land - the feudal lord - risked at any moment being left without workers or with a dozen peasant families, which were not enough to cultivate large lands. Therefore, the nobility, supported by the monarchs, forbade the peasants to change their place of residence, assigning them to certain plots of land and obliging them to cultivate them for the benefit of the feudal owner.

Initially, serfdom appeared not in Russia, with which it is strongly associated, but in European countries: Great Britain, Germany and France. Next we will tell you how serfdom “strode” across Europe, covering country after country and becoming similar to ordinary slavery. However, even international law of that time did not question the legality of serfdom, accepting it as a norm of life.

Serfdom in Europe

The formation of serfdom in Europe began in the 9th-10th centuries. One of the first countries where the nobility decided to “attach” peasants to the land was England. This was facilitated by the extreme impoverishment of the peasantry, who were forced to sell their plots and agree to any conditions of the feudal lords in order to earn at least some means of subsistence.

Rights of serfs, called villans, were severely limited. Villan was obliged to work for his master (seigneur) all year round, serving the duty with the whole family from 2 to 5 days a week. It is impossible to name a specific year for the abolition of serfdom in England: the softening of its individual elements took place gradually, starting with the rebellion of Wat Tyler, which occurred in the 14th century.

The final disappearance of signs of serfdom in the economy British crown falls in the 16th century, when sheep breeding replaced agriculture, and the feudal system was replaced by a capitalist one.

But in the central and Western Europe Serfdom lasted much longer - until the 18th century. It was especially harsh in the Czech Republic, Poland and East Germany. In Sweden and Norway, where, due to the severity of the climate and the lack of fertile soils, the share of agriculture in the state's economy is very small, there was no serfdom at all.

Later than anything abolition of serfdom occurred in the Russian Empire, which will be discussed further.

Serfdom in Russia: origin and development

The first signs of serfdom in Russia appeared at the end of the 15th century. In those days, all lands were considered princes, and the peasants who cultivated them and bore duties to the appanage princes were still free at that time and formally had the right to leave the plot, moving to another. When settling in a new plot, a peasant:

• had to pay rent - rent for the use of land. Most often it was introduced as a share of the harvest and, as a rule, amounted to a fourth of it;

• was obliged to bear duties, that is, to perform a certain amount of work for the temple or the local prince. This could be weeding, harvesting, putting things in order in the church yard, etc.;

• received a loan and assistance - funds for the purchase of agricultural equipment and livestock. The peasant had to return this money when moving to another place of residence, but due to the need to pay quitrent, only a few managed to collect the required amount. The rest fell into bondage, forced to remain in the same place and involuntarily “attached” to the ground.

Realizing how profitable it was to tie peasants to the land, officials consolidated serfdom in the legal codes of 1497 and 1550. The enslavement took place gradually. First, St. George's Day was introduced - two weeks in the second half of November, when peasants were allowed to move from one landowner to another, having first paid the quitrent and repaid the loan. On other days, changing your place of residence was prohibited.

Then the landowners were allowed to search for and punish runaway peasants. At first, the search limit was 5 years, but gradually it grew, and then the restrictions were completely lifted. In practice, this meant: even if after 20 years the boyar discovered his escaped serf, he could return him and punish him at his discretion. The peak of serfdom was the ban on St. George's Day - from 1649, peasants found themselves in lifelong bondage to the landowners.

Russian serfs were forbidden to file complaints against their masters, but they could completely control their fate: send them to serve in the army, send them to Siberia and do hard labor, give them as gifts and sell them to other landowners.

The only thing that was vetoed was the murder of serfs. There is a known case with the landowner Saltychikha (Daria Ivanovna Saltykova), who killed several dozen of her peasants and was punished for it. She was stripped of her title of noblewoman and sent to serve a life sentence in a monastery prison, where she died.

Serfdom in Russia: abolition

The abolition of serfdom in Russia was inevitable. The Russian sovereigns understood: serfdom is not much different from slavery and is pulling the country back. However, they could not change the system that had developed over centuries with one stroke of the pen.

Serfdom reforms began under Alexander I, who approved Count Arakcheev’s bill on the gradual ransom of peasants at the expense of the state treasury. From 1816 to 1819 serfdom was abolished in Baltic provinces Russian Empire. However, things didn’t go any further for Alexander I.

A radical reform of the abolition of serfdom took place in 1861 under Alexander II. The tsar was pushed to sign a manifesto that gave freedom to the peasants by the popular unrest that began during Crimean War. The authorities, in order to recruit recruits from the villagers, promised them liberation from landowner bondage, but they did not keep their word. This provoked a wave of uprisings that swept across Russia, as a result of which serfdom was abolished.

The reform, by and large, did not satisfy either the landowners or the peasants. The former lost part of their lands, since the state obliged to give the serf manumission, while allocating land plot certain area, for which the state was obliged to pay compensation. The latter seemed to receive freedom, but had to work for another 2 years for the landowner, and then pay the state a ransom for the received plot.

But, be that as it may, the reform took place and served as an impetus for the development of the capitalist system in Russia and, as a consequence, the class struggle.

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