Section 1
Causes for Revolt and Revolution
Topic 1 .) The End of Serfdom
The United States had Slavery, so as the United Kingdom and France, however both of such nations abolished slavery decades before the U.S passed the 13th amendment in 1865. The Russian Empire has Serfdom where the peasantry worked dawn till dusk for their landlords in order to afford housing. This practice was used during times of feudalism in times in which Adams Smiths theory of Capitalism was popular throughout the rest of the world, Russia was about 400 years behind in both innovation and in politics.
Tsar Alexander the II
In the mid-19th century, Russia underwent a transformative period marked by the emancipation of the serfs, a historic event that signaled the end of centuries-old feudal practices. Tsar Alexander II, ascending to the throne in 1855, recognized the urgent need for social and economic reforms to propel Russia into the modern era. The Emancipation Manifesto of 1861, a landmark decree issued by Alexander II, liberated over 23 million serfs from the bondage of agricultural servitude. This bold move aimed to address growing social unrest, encourage economic development, and pave the way for a more equitable and industrially advanced Russia.
While the emancipation marked a significant step towards modernization, the reforms of Alexander II were not without their challenges. The abrupt shift in the socio-economic landscape triggered upheaval and discontent among both the nobility and the newly liberated serfs. The subsequent decades saw a complex interplay of progress and resistance, as Russia grappled with the intricate task of navigating its transition from a traditional, agrarian society to a more dynamic and industrialized nation. Despite the complexities and limitations of the reforms, the end of serfdom under Tsar Alexander II laid the groundwork for subsequent waves of social, political, and economic transformations in the Russian Empire.