Serfdom in Russia lack of primogeniture, and the high turnover and mobility from estate to estate. The Tsar's aunt Grand Duchess Elena Pavlovna played a powerful role backstage in the years 1855 to 1861. Using her close relationship with her nephew Alexander II, she supported and guided his desire for emancipation, and helped mobilize the support of key advisors. In 1861 Alexander II freed all serfs in a major agrarian reform, stimulated in part by his view that "it is better to liberate the peasants from above" than to wait until they won their freedom by risings "from below". Serfdom was abolished in
Crime in Russia Crime in Russia Crime in Russia is combated by the Russian police and other agencies. In 2016, the murder rate in Russia was 7 per 100,000 people, according to Rosstat, also known as the Russian Federal State Statistics Service. According to UNODC, the corresponding figure is a bit higher at 9.2.[https://dataunodc.un.org/crime/intentional-homicide-victims ] Either way, it represents a significant decrease over the previous 15 years (in 2001, the homicide rate was 30.5). In the first quarter of 2018, murder rate in Russia fell by 15% year-over-year; and if the trend continues for the rest of the year, the murder rate will