What happened with emancipation?

• In 1861, Alexander II freed (emancipated) Russia’s 51 million serfs.
• Privately owned serfs received their freedom after a period of 2 years “obligation” and state owned serfs after 5 years.
• The serfs received their house and a small plot of land around it with the landowners keeping the meadows, pasture and woodland.
• Serfs gained control over who they married and the freedom to set up business and travel although the latter was still restricted.
• Their previous owners were compensated and former serfs had to pay “redemption payments” for 49 years at 6% interest.
• Until redemption payments ended, they had to remain in the peasant commune (mir) that allocated the land.
• The mir controlled the open fields that could be used by all the serfs, controlled what was farmed and collected taxes.
• Volosts supervised several mirs and ran courts from 1863.