Emancipation Edict 1861

• The 1861 Emancipation Edict initially applied only to the privately owned serfs although the state serfs received their freedom in 1866.Granted them freedom and an allotment of land while landowners received government compensation. 
• The mir was made responsible for distributing the allotments controlling the farming and collecting and paying the peasants' taxes while volosts were established to supervise the mirs. From 1863 the volosts ran their own courts replacing the landlords' jurisdiction over serfs.
• There was a two-year period of 'temporary obligation' before freedom was granted during which allocations were worked out. Landowners kept the meadows pasture woodland and a personal holding although open fields were given to the mirs.
• The abolition of serfdom was a huge undertaking which took far longer to carry out than anticipated. Around 15% of peasants still remained 'temporarily obligated' to their landlords until 1881 when redemption was made compulsory.
• Freed serfs were required to pay 'redemption payments' to the government for 49 years for their land and were to remain in the their peasant commune (mir) until these redemption payments had been made.