The Liberators of Russia
How the All-Zemstvos Union was Formed.
THE success of the revolution in Russia can be traced to one source, the work of the All-Zemstvos Union. By taking over the feeding of the army and the care of the wounded, the Union gradually gained control of the army and. when the crisis came, controlled the forces of the Empire, thus forcing the Czar to abdicate. A. X. Sakhnovsky tells of the growth of the Union in World* Work.
By an Imperial rescript of February 19. IMfil, the peasants were liberated from serfdom, but the peasants did not receive the ownership of the land. The nobility which owned large estates lost only a small portion of their landv which Vas bought by the Government for distribution among the peasants. This land was not given to the peasants free of charge; they were compelled to buy it on long-term payments. The liberation of the peasants produced a large class of small tenant-farmers. Thus, while a certain degree of political liberty was achieved, it did not bring adequate relief with regard to land tenure. Progressive thinkers realized the failure of the liberation in achieving the desired results, and the necessity of an educational and material improvement of the status of the peasantry. In consequence, H further reform was granted by the Government. giving local self-government to the provinces. The foundation was laid for the Zemstvo and Municipal Self-government system. At first the Zemstvos were established only in the thirty-three central provinces.