Social developments: redefinition of Service State; serfdom and serf unrest
After Peter the Great, the nobility gradually won freedom from compulsory state service. Meanwhile, serfs — peasants legally bound to their lord's land — faced harsher conditions and eventually revolted.
Real World
The 1762 Manifesto on the Freedom of the Nobility resembles a corporation removing staff obligations but keeping employee benefits — nobles shed service duties yet retained full control over their serf labour force.
Exam Focus
Link serf unrest directly to the nobility's growing independence; examiners want you to show how the two social changes are causally connected.
Essay Framework
Use PEEL to structure every paragraph. Tap each step for guidance and an example.
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