HST 328 Lecture Notes - Lecture 3: Complex Interdependence, Sharecropping, Narodniks
Document Summary
Serfdom: a peculiar institution of the russian empire. Three issues occupied state officials in the 19th century: maintaining great power status in a changing world, modernize and maintain military and pay for it, growing aspirations of old and new neighbors. Ending serfdom and other great reforms aimed at addressing these preoccupations. Serfdom coming into hard existence in russia (and eastern europe) in 16th century, as it is ending in western europe. Lord"s wellbeing depended on wellbeing/success of serfs. As in other sharecropping agreements, both parties assumed some of the agricultural risk. On eve of emancipation, 23 million (37 percent) of population were serfs (chattel property of nobility) Nobility comprised around 1 percent of population. Majority of peasant population in core european provinces of empire were serfs. Estates could encompass several villages separated by considerable distance, as estate itself often not a consolidated unit. Consolidation reflects more debt, but also more profitability for 42% with lots of serfs.
