Introduction
The emancipation proclamation of 1861 ended serfdom, the system that tied peasants to their landlords irrevocably, in Russia. Serfdom had operated in Russia since the middle of the 17 th century and it based the relationship between the landlord and the serf on land. Therefore, the serfs were subject to the control of their landlords in Russia. However, serfdom was technically not slavery as the landowners did not own the serfs (Hine, 1975). It was different from the system in the United States where the blacks were regarded in law as disposable property of their owners. Compared to serfdom, slavery was more devastating for the subjects (Hine, 1975). While the American slaves were required to work for their masters throughout the week, the serfs were only required to serve the masters for only three days a week. In Russia, the nobility landowners had several powers over their serfs. For instance, they had the power to deny the peasant serfs the right to move elsewhere. The objective of granting such powers to the nobility landowners was to make them dependent on and loyal to the tsar. They were to express their loyalty by serving as military officers and public officials. However, the emancipation proclamation by Tsar Alexander II brought an end to the relationship between the peasant serfs and the nobility landowners. The serfs were granted freedom from their masters. They became free people capable of purchasing land as private property. The emancipation proclamation of 1861 in Russia had significant ripple effects. The historical event in Russia lent significant momentum to the forces that would soon liberate American slaves. New technologies were gradually breaking down the geographic isolation of America and what the whole world thought about slavery mattered more than ever.
There were several underlying factors that led to the emancipation of the peasant serfs in Russia. However, the two major causes that prompted Tsar Alexander II to issue the imperial proclamation; the need for economic and social progress and the Crimean War of 1854.
Delegate your assignment to our experts and they will do the rest.
The Need for Economic and Social Progress
Serfdom was generally similar to the feudalism that had operated in many parts of ancient Europe. Despite the pervasiveness of feudalism in Europe, it was abandoned long before the 19 th century. Feudalism proved to be irrelevant as Western Europe moved into the commercial and industrial age. However, Russia did not undergo such a transition, a factor that contributed to its economic and social backwardness. Nearly all Russians acknowledged the negative impact of serfdom on the country’s economic and social structures and had accepted that reform of some kind was inevitable ( Lmch, 2003). It became convenient to use serfdom to explain much of the challenges that were bedeviling the nation, ranging from civil disorder, overpopulation, to food shortages. There was some truth in all the explanations, that serfdom was holding Russia back from progress. Thus, it was important for every Russian to be emancipated if the nation needed to progress.
The Crimean War of 1854
The Crimean War of 1854 also forced the tsar to emancipate the Russian peasant serfs. The nation had entered the war with high hopes of victory. Contrary to its expectations, the nation suffered a major defeat at the hands of the Allied armies of Britain, France, and Turkey. The shock on Russia following the defeat was profound. A nation that had always prided itself on its martial strength had been humiliated ( Pushkarev, 1968 ). As expected, serfdom was blamed for the nation’s military incompetence. The defeat convinced Tsar Alexander II that military and domestic reforms were necessary for stability and peace. Removal of serfdom was considered one of the most important steps towards a progressive and stable Russia.
The Course of the Emancipation Proclamation
Tsar Alexander II played a critical role in the emancipation of Russia’s peasant serfs. During the second year of his reign, he announced to the nobles that it was important to destroy serfdom from above than to wait until that time when it will begin to destroy itself from below ( Lmch, 2003 ). Tsar Alexander II was determined to abolish serfdom in Russia. He sought to enlist the support of the landowners to ensure that the serfs were emancipated. He made them wholly responsible for determining how the emancipation would be done. Consequently, the landowners found it hard to resist his command. The emancipation statute was finally presented in 1861. Tsar Alexander II declared that the primary objective of the emancipation was to satisfy all those that were involved in serfdom.
Immediate and Long Term Consequences of the Emancipation
Apart from freeing peasant serfs from landowners, the emancipation proclamation of 1861 led to the emancipation of American slaves across the Atlantic. Although the United States and Russia had vast political and cultural differences, similar forces operated in both. Just like the United States, the nineteenth century Russia was expanding aggressively, building railroads and telegraph lines across a continent ( Pushkarev, 1968 ). The two countries were also being watched by the world. The Americans closely monitored the progress of the emancipation progress in Russia. Abraham Lincoln was impressed by Alexander’s move in Russia. It did not take long for him to make a decision. He was concerned about America being the world’s greatest democracy yet still stood alone among other Western powers in holding on the institution of slavery ( Nolan, 1993 ). In 1863, Lincoln issued his own emancipation proclamation in the United States, following in the footsteps of Russia’s Alexander. However, Lincoln provided compensation neither to the slaveholders nor the slaves. Lincoln declared that all the slaves within the rebel states would be free ( Nolan, 1993 ). The blacks would later go on to serve in the nation’s army. Lincoln’s emancipation proclamation also laid a firm foundation for the liberation of black Americans several decades later.
Historical Evidence
The emancipation proclamation of 1861 in Russia affected the American society in subtle ways. The 19 th century United States was more concerned about how it was viewed by other European powers. Being the world’s greatest democracy, it was under significant pressure to serve as a good example. For instance, Lincoln questioned America’s commitment to its founding principles, including that which stated that all men are created equal (Guelzo, 2005). Lincoln issued his emancipation proclamation several months later, following in the footsteps of Tsar Alexander II of Russia. Furthermore, Lincoln pushed for an antislavery amendment to the United States Constitution to ensure its permanence. The 13 th Amendment of 1865 eliminated slavery throughout America.
Conclusion
My research on the emancipation proclamation of 1861 in Russia has significantly shaped my historical thinking. The historical event is important to me because it hard far reaching implications, traversing Russia’s borders. Initially, I thought the impacts of the historical event were limited to Russia alone. However, I have realized that the effects of the abolition of serfdom in Russia were felt across the Atlantic. The Americans, including Abraham Lincoln, were closely following the major historical event. The emancipation of peasant serfs in Russia would lent momentum to the forces of change in America, leading to the proclamation of emancipation of Negroes in the United States. Further research should focus on the economic impacts of the historical event, with a particular focus on black Americans.
References
Guelzo, A. C. (2005). Lincoln's Emancipation Proclamation: The End of Slavery in America . Simon and Schuster.
Hine, W. C. (1975). American Slavery and Russian Serfdom: A Preliminary Comparison. Phylon (1960-) , 36 (4), 378-384.
Lmch, M. (2003). The emancipation of the Russian serfs, 1861: A charter of freedom or an act of betrayal?.
Nolan, C. J. (1993). Detachment from despotism: US responses to tsarism, 1776–1865. Review of International Studies , 19 (4), 349-368.
Pushkarev, S. G. (1968). The Russian Peasants' Reaction to the Emancipation of 1861. The Russian Review , 27 (2), 199-214.
