How Did Alexander II Support The Development Of Russia And Serfs

After the war in 1856 Nicholas's son Alexander II decided to move Russia toward modern needs and social changes. Alexander believed that his reforms would allow Russia to compete with western Europe for world power. The first of Alexander's reform was an official order for freeing the serfs in 1861. However, putting an end to serfdom only went halfway. Instead of individual peasants, peasant communities were given about half the farmland in the country, nobles kept the other half and the government paid the wealthy people for their land. However, each peasant community had 49 years to pay the government for the land it had received. Therefore, while the serfs were legally free the money that was owed still tied them to the land. Political and