Peasant Question in the Demian Kochubey’s epistolar heritage of 1857–1858

Abstract

The article analyzes the letters of 1857–1858 by Demian Kochubey (1786–1859), a high-ranking official in St. Petersburg, to his relative Hryhorii Galagan (1819–1888), a public figure, both of whom belonged to the top local nobility of Left-bank Ukraine. The main theme of these important epistolary texts is the preparation for the abolition of serfdom. This example demonstrates the significant information potential of epistolary materials for the study of emancipatory projects. In particular, from this source we learn about the ideological and moral preconditions of Emancipation reform, from French liberal political economy to Christian humanism, and see the breadth of specific problems facing supporters of peasant emancipation, such as the financial possibilities of the state to ensure the redemption of landed estates for peasants, the principles of peasant land tenure in the post-reform period, the establishment of positive interaction between landlords and peasants after their emancipation for the economic prosperity and avoidance of social conflicts. It is argued that relying on epistolary materials will contribute to the cultural and anthropological understanding of the «emancipation projects» of Ukrainian public figures in the mid-nineteenth century. The need to continue the publication of epistolary materials for further in-depth study of the preparation and implementation of the Emancipation reform was emphasized.