SERFS OF THE RUSSIAN STATE OR FREE RURAL COMMONERS? (BASED ON THE EXAMPLE OF STATE PEASANTS OF VLADIMIR PROVINCE 1841-1866)
The article analyzes the rights and obligations of state peasants following the reform of P.D. Kiselev, one of the aims of which was to bring the real situation of this category of the population into line with their formal status as free peasant peasants. The personal and property rights of peasants are examined as well as their implementation under the new system of government; duties, most importantly, the payment of numerous duties and obligations. The authors concluded that the reformers were not able to achieve the desired results. The situation of state peasants was better than that of other categories of peasants. However, they did not become truly free peasants before the reform of 1866.