Why were serfs emancipated?

• The humiliation in the Crimean War showed the need for action.

  Dmitry Milyutin was Minister for War and he believed that only a free population would make Russia’s army capable of improvement.
• Alexander II had liberal ideas and believed emancipation was the right thing to do.
• Economically, it made sense as free peasants would have more motivation to work hard and their hard work would produce a grain harvest that would generate money for the state.
• Freedom of movement was required for industrialisation to take place as serfs were needed to move to towns and work in factors if they were to be built.