«HINTING AT OUR OWN EVIL»: TRAVELERS TO AMERICA ABOUT THE SLAVERY ON THE EVE OF THE ABOLITION OF THE SERFDOM IN RUSSIA

Abstract

The investigation is dedicated to the comparison of serfdom in Russia and slavery in America made by Russian travelers taking part in the public debate on the possible abolition of serfdom in Russia in the late 1850s. The travelers published their voyage notes in highly rated newspapers and magazines, such as «Sankt-Peterburgskie vedomosti», «Sovremennik», «Otechestvennye zapiski», «Russkii vestnik» and «Morskoi sbornik», trying to do it simultaneously with their experience abroad, concerned about the urgency and importance of their contribution towards wider discussion. At the same time, imperial censorship did not allow them to share their thoughts directly, so authors would refrain from direct naming of issues or criticism of the government. The purpose of the article is to show how the American experience, expounded and shared by the Russian travelers, enriched the public debate on the abolition of serfdom in Russia in the late 1850s, persuading the sceptics, and suggesting a new angle of vision to the upholders of the emancipation of Russian serfs. One of the most important factors that determined the interaction between the authors and readers about slavery in America was the censorship. Despite rumors about the possible abolition of serfdom, which spread immediately after the coronation of Alexander II, the censorship on the topic didn’t abate immediately. In the second half of the 1850s numerous decrees were published, contradictory and inconsistent, that reflected either indecision of the government, reaction, or most careful encouragement of the public initiative. Therefore as the rules of the game were constantly changing, the authors had to make use of many circumlocutions and hints, avoiding direct naming of what they were in fact writing about. By the end of the decade however, social excitement triumphed over confused censorship.