(311 words) The epic poem “Who Should Live Well in Russia” is a philosophical discussion about Russian society of the 60s of the 19th century, which, due to the abolition of serfdom, was in a completely helpless position and was forced to re-adapt to existence. For each of the classes, the way of life was completely destroyed by the sudden and sudden significant state changes. This is the main problem that Nekrasov raises in his work. Because of it, almost all people in Russia live poorly.
The landowners, who used to live in contentment and idleness, can no longer sell, inherit and mortgage the peasants. Because of this, their financial situation worsened significantly, because no one prepared them for reform. They are used to living in the old custom that has been preserved for centuries, when suddenly for no reason they were deprived of the noble privileges of owning peasants. Naturally, many landowners became impoverished, without having organized the economy in a new way.
The peasants were in an even worse situation. They did not know what to do with their freedom, how to properly dispose of themselves. They still lacked education and independent thinking skills. Previously, the appointed headman stood above them, and the landowner generally seemed to them to be a deity, that is, they themselves never lived. And then they became orphaned at once: there is no master, no manager, no usual daily routine. Peasants are even more conservative and stupid than their masters, so they took reform even worse. In addition, they again have to pay for the right to use the land, therefore, hard bonded labor and an oppressed dependent position have not disappeared. But there was a freedom to drink, bully and wander.
Neither priests, nor merchants, nor artisans gained benefits after the reform. If people are poor, their hands are lost, then trade does not develop, and few people can afford charity in favor of the church. Thus, the abolition of serfdom did not make anyone happier and richer, because it was not thought out. Nobody really prepared for the impending change. Politics was the tyranny of the monarch, and not wise calculation, and the poet was indignant at this, wishing the welfare and prosperity of his tortured country.
