Free-standing grain-growers - a special estate in Russia

Russia in the nineteenth century had to solve two important key issues. They have been on the agenda since the beginning of the century and concerned serfdom and autocracy.

Decisions of the Russian Tsar

Alexander the First undertook a number of attempts to at least somehow resolve the actual peasant question. This, of course, concerned first of all the decrees of 1801 and 1803. The first allowed the Russian peasants, along with other estates, to buy land into ownership, thereby destroying the existing monopoly of the nobility to own this property. The second, which went down in history as the "Decree on free-grain farmers", was called upon to determine the order of emancipation or leave of peasants together with the land. The latter, meanwhile, were obliged to pay the landlords a ransom in installments, thereby obtaining the ownership of the land allotment.

For the sake of justice, it should be noted that only a few units could use this decree. At the same time, this measure did not influence the very system of serfdom in effect.

During the reign of Alexander I , a lot of options were offered to solve this rather complicated but urgent issue. Projects for the liberation of peasants were offered by Mordvinov and Arakcheev, Guriev and Kankrin.

The peasant question

Despite the fact that since 1801, philistines, merchants and state peasants were allowed to buy or sell unsettled land, the situation in Russia was quite explosive. Every year it worsened. And serfdom was becoming less effective. In addition, such a state of the peasants caused a murmur not only from themselves. Representatives of other classes were also unhappy. However, the tsarist government was still unable to abolish serfdom : the nobility, being a privileged class considered the main support of the emperor, categorically disagreed with such cardinal changes. Therefore, the tsar had to compromise, maneuvering between the desire of the elite and the needs of the economy.

Year 1803: "Decree on free-grain farmers"

He had a very important ideological significance for Russia. After all, it was for the first time in its history that an opportunity was established to liberate the peasants together with the land in retaliation for ransom. It was this provision that became the main component of the subsequent reform of 1861. Adopted on February 20, 1803, the "Decree on free grain-growers" provided for peasants the opportunity to be released both singly and in whole villages, with mandatory land allotment. For their will, they had to pay ransom or fulfill their obligations. If the obligations of the peasants were not met, they were returned to the landlord. The estate that received the will in this way was called free. However, they entered history as free-lance farmers. Since 1848 they began to be called state peasants. And they became the main driving force in the development of the vastness and resources of Siberia.

Implementation of the decree

By the middle of the nineteenth century, on the basis of this law, almost one hundred and fifty thousand peasant men were released. At the same time, historians believe that the results of the "Decree on free grain farmers", which operated in Russia for more than half a century, were very small.

Passed into a special estate, "free-grain farmers" now received and could dispose of their own land. They could only pay duties in favor of the Russian state. However, according to statistics, during the entire reign of Alexander in their class passed less than half of a percent of the total number of serfs.

For example, from 1804 to 1805, in the Ostsee Territory, peasants-landlords even though they were granted personal freedom, but for the allotments of the landed estates at their disposal they were still obliged: both corvée and obrok. Moreover, free grain-growers were not exempt from recruitment.

Prerequisites

In addition to the above reasons, another one for the publication of the "Decree on free-grain farmers" was quite a concrete event. Count Sergei Rumyantsev, known for his radical views, expressed a desire to release some of his serfs along with the land. At the same time he put forward a condition: the peasants had to pay for their own plots. It was with this request that Count Rumyantsev turned to the emperor to allow him to legalize the deal.

This case and became a prerequisite for Alexander to issue the notorious decree, after which free herders appeared in Russia.

Decree points

Ten points were introduced into the law, according to which:

1. The landlord could let his peasants go free with the land. At the same time he had to personally negotiate with his serf about the terms of the ransom and his alleged obligations.
2. Obligations, around which the parties were stipulated, were inherited.
3. If the peasant did not fulfill them, then he and his family and land had to return to the landlord's dependence.
4. The freed serfs had to be called free.
5. Free-grain farmers had the right to move to another class: to become artisans or traders, etc.
6. Both the released and the state peasants had to pay tax to the state. At the same time, they had to perform recruitment duties.
7. Judging the plowman was in the same institution as the state peasant.
8. The released serfs, who fulfilled their duties to the landlords, could freely dispose of their land allotment. They could also move to live in other provinces, having notified the State Chamber in advance.
9. Free-grain farmers received state rights.
10. If the land of the peasant, or he himself was laid, then at the request of the former owner, he himself took over this debt with the creditor's permission.

I must say that the landowner could not use the right received, so the decree had only an advisory nature, and not mandatory.