Editing Commissions

formed in March 1859 to draw up a plan for a peasant reform in Russia. Two commissions were to have been formed, but only one was actually created, which was referred to in the plural. Ia. I. Rostovtsev, the first chairman, was succeeded by V. N. Panin in February 1860. The 31-member commission consisted of civil servants of various departments (N. A. Miliutin, Ia. A. Solov’ev, N. P. Semenov) and experts who represented the landed nobility (Prince V. A. Cherkasskii, Iu. F. Samarin, P. P. Semenov).

The commission’s activity was divided into three stages. Between March and October 1859, the plans submitted by most of the provincial committees were studied, and a rough draft of the reform was drawn up. From November 1859 to May 1860, the plan was altered to meet the objections made by the nobility’s deputies, and the material of the remaining provincial committees was examined. Between July and October 1860 the reform plan was completed. The plan was discussed by the deputies of the nobility’s provincial committees and did not win their approval. The final draft of the reform program contained major changes detrimental to the peasants. On Oct. 10 (22), 1860, the commission concluded its work.