Kurenyshev, A.A. The abolition of serfdom and the formation of counter-elite in Russia.

Abstract: The article is dedicated to the formation of counter-elite in the ruling class of Russian society in connection with the debate and radical socio-economic reforms initiated by the abolition of serfdom. The reforms failed to solve many problems of development of agrarian sector of Russia. Attempts to overcome them in the existing political system led to serious contradictions and struggles within the ruling elite: nobles, officials, agricultural intelligentsia, to a gradual formation of the so-called “counter-elite”.

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