Replication data for: The Economic Effects of the Abolition of Serfdom: Evidence from the Russian Empire

Principal Investigator(s):  View help for Principal Investigator(s) Andrei Markevich; Ekaterina Zhuravskaya

Version:  View help for Version V1

Name File Type Size Last Modified
  20160144_data 10/20/2021 09:32:AM
LICENSE.txt text/plain 14.6 KB 10/12/2019 01:57:AM

Project Citation: 

Markevich, Andrei, and Zhuravskaya, Ekaterina. Replication data for: The Economic Effects of the Abolition of Serfdom: Evidence from the Russian Empire. Nashville, TN: American Economic Association [publisher], 2018. Ann Arbor, MI: Inter-university Consortium for Political and Social Research [distributor], 2019-10-12. https://doi.org/10.3886/E113121V1

Project Description

Summary:  View help for Summary We document substantial increases in agricultural productivity, industrial output, and peasants' nutrition in Imperial Russia as a result of the abolition of serfdom in 1861. Before the emancipation, provinces where serfs constituted the majority of agricultural laborers lagged behind provinces that primarily relied on free labor. The emancipation led to a significant but partial catch up. Better incentives of peasants resulting from the cessation of ratchet effect were a likely mechanism behind a relatively fast positive effect of reform on agricultural productivity. The land reform, which instituted communal land tenure after the emancipation, diminished growth in productivity in repartition communes.

Scope of Project

Subject Terms:  View help for Subject Terms Economics; Economic History
JEL Classification:  View help for JEL Classification
      J47 Coercive Labor Markets
      N13 Economic History: Macroeconomics and Monetary Economics; Industrial Structure; Growth; Fluctuations: Europe: Pre-1913
      N33 Economic History: Labor and Consumers, Demography, Education, Health, Welfare, Income, Wealth, Religion, and Philanthropy: Europe: Pre-1913
      N43 Economic History: Government, War, Law, International Relations, and Regulation: Europe: Pre-1913
      N53 Economic History: Agriculture, Natural Resources, Environment, and Extractive Industries: Europe: Pre-1913
      Q11 Agriculture: Aggregate Supply and Demand Analysis; Prices
Geographic Coverage:  View help for Geographic Coverage Russia, former Russian Empire
Time Period(s):  View help for Time Period(s) 1795 – 1900
Universe:  View help for Universe European provinces and districts of the former Russian empire in the 19th century
Data Type(s):  View help for Data Type(s) administrative records data; census/enumeration data; geographic information system (GIS) data
Collection Notes:  View help for Collection Notes unique province-level and district-level panel datasets collected from various official statistical volumes

Methodology

Data Source:  View help for Data Source Various official statistical volumes. The paper appendix lists references to all sources.
Unit(s) of Observation:  View help for Unit(s) of Observation provinces and districts of the former Russian empire,

Related Publications

Download this project

Published Versions

V1 [2019-10-12]

Export Metadata

Dublin Core

DDI 2.5

Report a Problem

Found a serious problem with the data, such as disclosure risk or copyrighted content? Let us know.

This material is distributed exactly as received from the data depositor. As of April 2026, depositors are required to submit study materials in accessible formats. ICPSR has not reviewed, checked, or processed this material. For additional information about the study, please contact the investigator(s) directly. If you have questions about the accessibility of materials distributed by ICPSR or require further assistance, please visit ICPSR's Accessibility Center.