Economic and social change - Witte 1

Impact of Emancipation

• Major problem facing Russia before 1861 was surfdom
• 80% population were peasants of which over half were surfs
• Serfs were good agricultural labourers tied to the land, controlled by owners of the land
• Early 1800's unrest among the serf population
• The system was seen as a major obstacle to economic development
• It encouraged subsistence agriculture which failed to produce enough grain to create enough economic wealth for industrialisation 
• 1861 ukase (imperial…