Conditions for Peasants
Russia’s peasants remained in a state of near-slavery, called serfdom, for far longer than you might expect; serfdom was only ended under Nicholas’ father, Alexander III, in 1861. Serfdom tied the peasants to the land, or to industrial complexes, like mines. The 1861 emancipation of the serfs enabled those who worked the land to purchase property from landowners; household serfs received only their freedom. In some areas, emancipation came later, with state-owned serfs not receiving their freedom until 1866. While the end of serfdom should have, in theory, provided benefits to the serfs, many lost the only support and homes they had ever known.
The government provided loans that allowed the former serfs to purchase land; however, these loans were costly and the land sold by the landowners was quite poor. Many could not afford to make the payments on their land. Most had been charged significantly more than market rates for the land, in some cases as much as a third. When state-owned serfs were emancipated, the terms were somewhat more generous. A large number of former serfs sold their land back to the landowner to eliminate the payments, and moved away from the land.
In the years shortly after emancipation, the change helped to revitalize the Russian economy. New workers were available for factories, including managers, and agricultural production increased. This positive change did not continue over time, however, and eventually the Russian working population became increasingly dissatisfied. The institution of serfdom had also created a larger class divide than was present in many areas by the late 19th century. Russians were either very poor or very rich.
During the latter part of the 19th century, Russia experienced a massive population increase. Feeding a larger population proved onerous for the agricultural community. The risk of starvation increased in a relatively famine-prone region, particularly due to poor administration and organization. Large parts of Russia had short growing seasons and long, harsh winters; however, Russia had very large amounts of land, enabling more land investment in agriculture.