The Russian emancipation of 1861

The peasant emancipation of 1861 was accompanied by a series of reforms of a number of important aspects of Russian life.

In addition to the proprietary serfs, state peasants, crown peasants assigned peasants and household serfs were also emancipated.

The terms of emancipation were particularly hard on household serfs, who got their liberty and nothing else, and often on assigned serfs, those who had formerly worked in mines and factories

Proprietary serfs and assigned serfs had under serfdom been governed by their owners.

Now, however, they became citizens and fell under the jurisdiction of the state.

The sudden creation of millions of new citizens required a whole new means to govern the country.

In the next few years the government created new institutions of rural self-government, a new and progressive judicial system, an education reform, a new governing structure for cities and a reformed armed forces.

Taken altogether these reforms rightly earned the name of the Great Reforms.

The Great Reforms over the next fifty years fundamentally altered Russian political and social life and changed the attitude of many Russians towards politics

And today where is there emancipation?