Does reform prevent rebellion? Evidence from Russia’s emancipation of the serfs

Journal article

Evgeny Finkel, Scott Gehlbach, Tricia D. Olsen
Comparative Political Studies, vol. 48(8), 2015, pp. 984-1019

Cite

APA Click to copy
Finkel, E., Gehlbach, S., & Olsen, T. D. (2015). Does reform prevent rebellion? Evidence from Russia’s emancipation of the serfs. Comparative Political Studies, 48(8), 984–1019. https://doi.org/10.1177/0010414014565887

Chicago/Turabian Click to copy
Finkel, Evgeny, Scott Gehlbach, and Tricia D. Olsen. “Does Reform Prevent Rebellion? Evidence from Russia’s Emancipation of the Serfs.” Comparative Political Studies 48, no. 8 (2015): 984–1019.

MLA Click to copy
Finkel, Evgeny, et al. “Does Reform Prevent Rebellion? Evidence from Russia’s Emancipation of the Serfs.” Comparative Political Studies, vol. 48, no. 8, 2015, pp. 984–1019, doi:10.1177/0010414014565887.

BibTeX Click to copy

@article{finkel2015a,
  title = {Does reform prevent rebellion? Evidence from Russia’s emancipation of the serfs},
  year = {2015},
  issue = {8},
  journal = {Comparative Political Studies},
  pages = {984-1019},
  volume = {48},
  doi = {10.1177/0010414014565887},
  author = {Finkel, Evgeny and Gehlbach, Scott and Olsen, Tricia D.}
}

Abstract

Contemporary models of political economy suggest that reforms intended to reduce grievances should curtail unrest, a perspective at odds with many traditional accounts of reform and rebellion. We explore the impact of reform on rebellion with a new data set on peasant disturbances in 19th-century Russia. Using a difference-in-differences design that exploits the timing of various peasant reforms, we document a large increase in disturbances among former serfs following the Emancipation Reform of 1861, a development counter to reformers' intent. Our analysis suggests that this outcome was driven by peasants' disappointment with the reform's design and implementation—the consequence of elite capture in the context of a generally weak state—and heightened expectations of what could be achieved through coordinated action. Reform-related disturbances were most pronounced in provinces where commune organization facilitated collective action and where fertile soil provoked contestation over land.

European Politics and Society Best Article Award. Comparative Political Studies Editorial Board Best Paper Award.