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How could Alexander the Second reconcile the needs of the peasants,
亚历山大二世怎么才能调和俄国社会的脊梁
which were Russian society's backbone, with those of the nobility, which governed the Russian Empire?
农民的利益和统治俄罗斯帝国的贵族阶层的利益呢
The simplest and most principled approach would be to grant the peasants both their freedom and the lands which they farmed,
最简单并且有原则性的方法就是给农奴自由并且将他们耕种的土地授予他们
but the landlords were hardly about to give their land up as a gift.
但是地主们绝不愿意将土地像礼物那样赐予农奴
Nor could the Russian state afford to buy the land outright for the peasants.
国家政权也不愿意为农奴出钱购买土地
At the same time, on the other side of the world, the United States was likewise wrestling with the issue of human slavery.
同时，在世界的另一端，美国人也在解决奴隶制的问题
While the American democracy resorted to succession and war before solving their problem,
美国的民主政府是通过战争来解决这个问题的
the autocrat Alexander could solve his problem with the stroke of a pen.
亚历山大却是通过大笔一挥来解决的
Or could he? On March 3rd, 1861, Alexander the Second granted the peasants their freedom, but without any land.
或者我们要问，问题可以这么解决吗？1861年三月三日，亚历山大二世给了农奴自由，但是却没有任何土地
The peasants couldn't actually own the land until they paid off landlords via mortgages.
农民实际上不能拥有任何土地，除非他们通过贷款向地主赎买
In effect, this continued the peasant-landowner relationship.
而这也就在事实上继续了农民-地主的关系
Until the mortgages were paid, the peasants would be hired laborers.
等到还清了贷款后，农民就成了被雇佣的劳动者
The nobles who actually owned the land, still charged the peasants for using forests, pastures, and other resources.
实际拥有土地的贵族，还是在索要农民使用森林，牧场等其他资源的钱
To make up for losing their peasants, the nobles also got subsidies from government bonds.
为了弥补失去农奴造成的损失，贵族通过政府债券获得补贴
