Industrialization had already spread from Petrograd (now Saint Petersburg) and other cities in August of 1917. When Russia lost the Crimean War to England and France in 1856, it became obvious that Russia needed economic and social change to keep up with other countries. Large reforms followed, including the abolition of serfdom in 1861, judicial reform in 1864, and the establishment of national government groups, called Semstwos, in 1864. This strategy was designed to encourage industrial growth.