The American Way v. the Russian Way

 

In the 1860s the U.S. and Russia each finalized their emancipation. Despite taking the next step towards equality and freedom their paths were on complete opposite ends of the spectrum. While reading I was curious to learn of how Russia dealt with their emancipated the serfs as compared to how America dealt with the end of slavery. American history is clear, we all learned at a young age the steps that were taken after emancipation, the rules, regulations, and stipulations made to not only prohibit African Americans from healthy development but also to prohibit Native Americans, Mexicans, and women. Since the time period and circumstances of Russia are exceptionally comparable, but how did Russia differ?

Land was the most fundamental aspect of Russian society, “The goal, as throughout much of Russian history, was to match up land and people in productive ways, on terms that pleased the ruler” (Burbank and Cooper, 281). The emancipation of the surfs was displeasing to the nobles and peasants alike in Russia; unlike the U.S. it did not involve a civil war or very much violence to invoke the new policy. Serfs were granted the same rights as peasants granting them administrative and judicial rights as well house hold plots and allotments of land to be held and managed collectively. Overall Russia handled the emancipation of the serfs much more gracefully and thoughtfully compared to America. They even compensated former masters for the debt they had accumulated due to the end of serfdom. The ex-serfs were even given a nearly fifty year deadline to repay the state for the land they acquired after emancipation. Russia seemed to take every step to ensure that all lived comfortably after such a large demographic change that affected their entire society, but why? Why did the Russians go to such great lengths for “undeserving” serfs?

Russia’s autocratic system was favorable to their “Reform from above” system allowing elites to have almost complete control of the system and do as they pleased, America’s republican system would not have allowed this. Another factor that prohibited a smooth American transformation was the constitution, in order for major changes occur it had to be approved by many and then amended officially before it could be put into effect. Russians used the impermanent allocation of rights and resources. The largest barrier was race. The multiplicity of people was not a problem in Russia and since there was not dominant race there was no issue with Slav serfs. We clearly cannot say the same for America who did not provide the same freedoms and safe havens to slave descendants until sadly, the 1960s.

 Race simply changed the entire dynamic for both countries. Russia did not wish to form a separation between the “dominant” race as opposed to the lesser one, probably because they truly did have a lesser race. They had for a long time appreciated and welcomed racial diversity, America had yet to get over that hurdle thus causing the civil war and inequality for non-Anglo-Saxon peoples.  Russia and America began the road to freedom around the same time but sadly arrived at the finish line of equality in two different centuries.