Basees/Routledge Russian and East Europe The Emancipation of the Serfs in Russia: Peace Arbitrators and the Development of Civil Society, (Hardcover)

In the wake of the disastrous Crimean War, the Russian autocracy completely renovated its most basic social, political and economic systems by emancipating 23 million privately-owned serfs. This book examines the emancipation, describing how the reforms were instituted in practice, and exploring the profound implications for Russian politics and society.