Scientific Revolution (Social/Economic)
As different rulers came into power, they had different views on serfdom and taxation. Catherine the Great, for example, freed nobles from taxes permanently as a result of the Pugachev rebellion. Emelian Pugachev, a Cossack soldier, gathered a rebellion which proclaimed no taxes and serfdom-- he failed and Catherine's laws of taxation became more strenuous. After the ruler Maria Theresa lost Silesia in the War of the Austrian Succession (1748), she desired to make her state more efficient. One of the reforms she made was the tax system-- she differed from Catherine in that she taxed people of every position, even the nobles. Joseph II, when he rose up to the throne in 1748, tried to abolish serfdom and mandated that peasants pay in cash to their lords instead of compulsory labor. He was trying to help the serfs, but the law took an opposite effect-- peasants did not have cash in hand to pay. Leopold II canceled Joseph II's legislation and peasants returned to their manual labor.
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| Map of Prussia / Silesia |
Silesian tax system revamped
Maria Theresa, dealing with the loss of Silesia, enacted reforms in her state to make it more sufficient. The entire tax system was redone— Theresa taxed some nobles who were previously exempt.
Absolute authority of nobles
In the late 1770s, Catherine the Great of Russia granted absolute authority of nobles over their serfs. She continued to extend the privilege of nobles in terms of taxation and state service.
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| Pugachev's Rebellion |
Pugachev's rebellion
Emelian Pugachev, a Cossack soldier under Catherine the Great’s rule, attempted to establish himself as “tsar”. He abolished taxes and military service. Catherine squashed his rebellion successfully, though, and left no room for lenience in terms of serfdom and taxation.
Nobles exempt from taxes
Catherine the Great, in response to Pugachev’s failed rebellion, granted nobles absolute control over their serfs. Nobles were no longer required to participate in state service or pay taxes. Her laws were extended into Ukraine.
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| Joseph II |
Peasants decreed to pay landlords in cash
Joseph II decreed that the peasants could pay their nobles through cash rather than labor. Both classes rejected this, as peasants did not have cash in their pockets in the first place.
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| Leopold II |
Leopold's rule, cancels the decreed tax pay
Leopold II, brother of Joseph II, canceled Joseph’s law that serfs needed to pay their lords taxes. The serfs returned to do forced labor.
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