The Reactionary Policy

After the Pugachev revolt, Catherine realized that for her the people were more to be feared than pitied, and that, rather than freeing them, she must tighten their bonds. Before her accession to power, Catherine had planned to emancipate the serfs, on whom the economy of Russia was based. When confronted with the realities of power, Catherine saw very quickly that emancipation of the serfs would never be tolerated by the owners, whom she depended upon for support, and who would throw the country into disorder once they lost their own means of support. The fortune of a noble was evaluated not in lands but in the 'souls' he owned. Catherine instead turned her attention to organizing and strengthening a system that she herself had condemned as inhuman. She imposed serfdom on the Ukrainians who had until then been free. By distributing the crown lands to her favorites and ministers, she worsened the lot of the peasants, who had enjoyed certain autonomy. At the end of her reign, there was scarcely a free peasant left in Russia.