Что, если бы крепостное право в Российской империи не отменили?

What if serfdom had not been abolished in the Russian Empire? Serfdom is one of the most shameful chapters not only in Russian but in all of human history. But in the 19th century, serfdom came to an end – humanity and belief in human rights and equality prevailed. But what if the Russian Empire, the second-largest country in the world after the British Empire, had not abolished serfdom in 1861? What would have happened, and what would have been the fate of this vast and resource-rich state? Well, I asked myself this question, and I think I've found several possible answers. Let's go. ⚡ Subscribe to the channel:    / @historyshow   Timecodes 00:00 Introduction 01:06 How serfdom was abolished in the Russian Empire. A New Order in the Country 03:16 What if Serfdom Had Not Been Abolished, Version 1 - Backwardness and Degradation 08:55 What if Serfdom Had Not Been Abolished, Version 2 - Arise, Our Country Is Vast 11:56 What if Serfdom Had Not Been Abolished, Version 3 - It Would Have Been Impossible 💪 Our second channel Megashow TV:    / @megashowtv   👉 Our Website: https://historyshow.tv/ History Show is a fascinating channel about history presented in an unusual way. You'll find two types of shows, so to speak: 1) How certain people lived, what they ate, how they lived, what they wore, and other delights of life 2) What if... the most unexpected twists in history that never happened. We tell, reflect, and show alternative worlds and twists. It's important for us to find our audience—one who won't just subscribe, but will watch. How Serfdom Was Abolished in the Russian Empire. A New Order in the Country February 19, 1861, is the day of the all-Russian emancipation of the peasants from serfdom, when Emperor Alexander II proclaimed the freedom of all peasants who had previously belonged to the landowner. A number of important changes occurred in the lives of peasants. Now peasants could determine their own place of residence, decide what to do with their property and land, and how to manage it, without interference from the landowner. Furthermore, peasants received rights that seem obvious now, such as the right to decide for themselves who and when to marry, to have children, and to simply move freely throughout the country. Today, such restrictions sound downright barbaric, but for a long time, this was precisely the way things were done in the empire, and this was how people were treated. In principle, things haven't changed much even now. But let's not dwell on the sad stuff. As a price for their freedom, peasants were now obligated to pay taxes and perform military service. A free peasant received land from a landowner, but he had to purchase it, not just take it for free, so to speak. The peasant paid a fifth of the land's value personally to the landowner, and the state paid the rest, as if on credit—a sum the peasant had to repay over 49 years at 6 percent annual interest. Basically, life was manageable. To ensure the reform was implemented correctly and as quickly as possible, so-called conciliators were appointed in the villages by order of the emperor and under the supervision of the regional governor. They were tasked with maintaining order in the villages. Unfortunately, but not surprisingly, many abused their position, leading peasants to rebel and often even refuse to work or pay the state for land and taxes. Only a few intermediaries truly worked for good purposes and carefully monitored the implementation of the reform. What if serfdom had not been abolished? Option 1: Backwardness and degradation In discussing the new order after the abolition of serfdom, I left out the main reason why Tsar Alexander II took this step: the country's backwardness compared to other European countries precisely because of the peasants' land tenure. Many will probably not understand how one is connected to the other, but in fact, it's all very simple and clear. The fact is that 19th-century Europe was a rapidly developing continent at the peak of the so-called Industrial Revolution. In just a few decades, the industry of a developed European country like England or France produced more goods than that country had produced in several centuries of its previous existence. Active trade and the development of new markets, along with the creation of more advanced technologies in manufacturing and factories, led to the emergence of enormous capital, which enterprising European businessmen did not waste but invested, attracting even more capital, and so on in a virtuous circle. Naturally, this approach led to rapid, if not meteoric, economic development, raising the standard of living and wealth of each individual country that took, so to speak, an active part in the Industrial Revolution. #history #whatif #serfs #HistoryShow