評論
打印
How could Alexander the Second reconcile the needs of the peasants,
亞歷山大二世怎么才能調和俄國社會的脊梁
which were Russian society's backbone, with those of the nobility, which governed the Russian Empire?
農民的利益和統治俄羅斯帝國的貴族階層的利益呢
The simplest and most principled approach would be to grant the peasants both their freedom and the lands which they farmed,
最簡單并且有原則性的方法就是給農奴自由并且將他們耕種的土地授予他們
but the landlords were hardly about to give their land up as a gift.
但是地主們絕不愿意將土地像禮物那樣賜予農奴
Nor could the Russian state afford to buy the land outright for the peasants.
國家政權也不愿意為農奴出錢購買土地
At the same time, on the other side of the world, the United States was likewise wrestling with the issue of human slavery.
同時，在世界的另一端，美國人也在解決奴隸制的問題
While the American democracy resorted to succession and war before solving their problem,
美國的民主政府是通過戰爭來解決這個問題的
the autocrat Alexander could solve his problem with the stroke of a pen.
亞歷山大卻是通過大筆一揮來解決的
Or could he? On March 3rd, 1861, Alexander the Second granted the peasants their freedom, but without any land.
或者我們要問，問題可以這么解決嗎？1861年三月三日，亞歷山大二世給了農奴自由，但是卻沒有任何土地
The peasants couldn't actually own the land until they paid off landlords via mortgages.
農民實際上不能擁有任何土地，除非他們通過貸款向地主贖買
In effect, this continued the peasant-landowner relationship.
而這也就在事實上繼續了農民-地主的關系
Until the mortgages were paid, the peasants would be hired laborers.
等到還清了貸款后，農民就成了被雇傭的勞動者
The nobles who actually owned the land, still charged the peasants for using forests, pastures, and other resources.
實際擁有土地的貴族，還是在索要農民使用森林，牧場等其他資源的錢
To make up for losing their peasants, the nobles also got subsidies from government bonds.
為了彌補失去農奴造成的損失，貴族通過政府債券獲得補貼
