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Vasilij SemevskijFamous scientist
Country:
 Russia |
Content:
- Early Life and Education
- Academic Career and Research
- Lectures and Dissertations
- Study of Workers in Siberia
- Additional Contributions
- Published Articles
- "Princess Ekaterina Romanovna Dashkova" ("Russian Antiquity," 1875)
- "N.D. Khvoshchinskaya-Zayonchkovskaya" ("Russian Thought," 1890)
- "N.M. Yadrintsev" ("Russian Thought," 1895)
- "The Claims of Gold Miners" ("Russian Gazette," 1895)
Early Life and Education
Born in 1848, Vasily Ivanovich Semevsky initially pursued natural sciences for two years at the Medico-Surgical Academy after completing his studies at the 1st Petersburg Gymnasium. However, he subsequently transferred to the Historical-Philological Faculty of St. Petersburg University.
Academic Career and Research
Initial Studies on Russian PeasantsWhile still a student, Semevsky devoted himself to studying the history of Russian peasants, publishing his first article, "Fortress Peasants Under Catherine II," in the "Russian Antiquity" journal in 1876. He further developed his research in his 1881 dissertation, "Peasants Under Catherine II," which earned him a master's degree from Moscow University.
Lectures and Dissertations
In December 1882, Semevsky commenced lecturing on Russian history as a private lecturer at St. Petersburg University. His lectures sparked enthusiasm among students and motivated them to thoroughly investigate the fate of the Russian people and the socioeconomic conditions surrounding them. However, he ceased lecturing in 1886 due to unforeseen circumstances.
In 1889, Semevsky defended his doctoral dissertation, "The Peasant Question in the 18th and First Half of the 19th Century," at Moscow University. This work received the Uvarov Prize from the Academy of Sciences and the Grand Gold Medal from the Free Economic Society. It demonstrated his extensive scholarship, meticulous critical analysis of sources, and provided an incisive examination of the relationship between law, literature, society, and the people regarding the abolition of serfdom. Prior to this, no comprehensive study had been published on the history of the peasant question during the period covered by Semevsky.
His conclusion was that the theoretical foundations for peasant liberation were developed by eminent representatives of the Russian intelligentsia. The program for the peasant question proposed by the intelligentsia later became the government's program, albeit with some limitations (such as peasants not retaining all the land previously granted to them by landowners).
Study of Workers in Siberia
In 1891, at the behest of I.M. Sibiryakov, Semevsky embarked on a study of the history and contemporary status of workers in Siberian gold mines. To this end, he undertook a journey to Siberia, extending as far as the Yakutsk region, and gathered a wealth of material for his future work. In 1898, his study entitled "Workers in the Siberian Gold Mines" was published, earning him the Samarin Prize.
Additional Contributions
Semevsky held the position of Deputy Chairman of the Historical Society at St. Petersburg University from 1894 to 1896. From 1895 onwards, he served as Secretary of the Department for the Promotion of Self-Education in the Committee of the Pedagogical Museum of Military Educational Institutions.
Published Articles
Beyond his scholarly works, Semevsky published numerous articles of a popular and journalistic nature in various periodicals. These included:
"The Literature of the Catherine Anniversary" ("Russian Antiquity," 1874)
"Princess Ekaterina Romanovna Dashkova" ("Russian Antiquity," 1875)
"Alexander Grigorievich Ilyinsky" (obituary, "Russian Antiquity," 1878)
"Peasants of the Clergy's Estates in the Second Half of the 18th Century" ("Russian Thought," 1881)
"Domestic Life and Morals of Peasants in the Second Half of the 18th Century" ("Ustoi," 1882)
"The Granting of Populated Estates Under Emperor Paul" ("Russian Antiquity," 1882)
"N.I. Kostomarov, 1817-1885," a historical-biographical essay ("Russian Antiquity," 1886)
"Vasily Ivanovich Vodovozov," a biographical essay ("Vestnik Evropy," 1887)
"N.D. Khvoshchinskaya-Zayonchkovskaya" ("Russian Thought," 1890)
"A Few Words About V.N. Karazin" ("Vestnik Evropy," 1893)"Serfdom and Peasant Reform in M.E. Saltykov's Works" ("Collection of Jurisprudence and Social Knowledge," 1893)
"A Major Donation for the Benefit of Workers" ("Russian Gazette," 1894)
"N.M. Yadrintsev" ("Russian Thought," 1895)
"The Necessity of Abolishing Corporal Punishment" ("Russian Thought," 1896)
"The Claims of Gold Miners" ("Russian Gazette," 1895)
"On the History of Social Movements in Russia in the 18th Century and First Half of the 19th Century" ("Historical Review," 1898)
