About such a reform as secularization of landsbelonging to the church, it was discussed at the turn of the 15th and 16th centuries. But it was only in the 18th century that the solution of this question finally took shape. It was in this century that the state managed to solve the problem posed during the reign of Ivan III.
Secularization is the elimination of large churchland tenure. And it was with this process that the long struggle of the Russian rulers and the church for the land was completed. And the fact that it happened just in the 18th century is not accidental.
By that time, merchant capitalism was madegreat success, and the form of rights that existed in relation to church lands prevented this. The main trend was that land is a commodity from which to make a profit. This was completely satisfied by the reform of the first half of the 18th century, which freed land property from the sovereign dependence. Meanwhile, the church grounds were not alienable due to the special nature of their use. The clergy could only acquire them, but they have no right to alienate them in any way.
This was only the general cause of the phenomenon undertitle "secularization of church lands." There were other reasons, let's say, more private. The fact is that the whole policy in relation to Russian lands was very dependent on noble interests. This stronghold of the monarchy was striving with all its forces to expand its possessions, while the free land resources of the central part of the state were in fact already exhausted. Well, the land on the outskirts of a few who are interested. The nobility judged that the secularization of church estates and peasants would create a good foundation that would allow them to expand further.
Правящие особы очень долго не могли решиться на violation of the union, which was formed from the friendship of the state and the church. Only in the second half of the 18th century did objective efforts prevail. After a series of hesitations, Peter III issued a document in 1762, which was the reason for the creation of a special Saving Board, which would govern all church patrimonies. At the same time, it was prescribed to remove from office all persons who had spiritual titles. The peasants, who worked on the church estates, were obliged to pay a ruble dues on a per capita basis instead of their previous obligations. So, in the peasant use there were lands that they plowed for church landowners, but the land, which had not been in their use before (mills, etc.), should have been given to those who wanted for rent. And all the sums received came at the disposal of the established Board. Thus, labor was not unduly burdened, but all the exactions taken by the rulers would immediately return to the peasants.
However, this decree was shorttime. Already Catherine the Great, due to the exceptional situation in the state, had to go to the "cunning". The secularization of church lands was recognized by her as a measure of thoughtlessness, the decree was canceled, and grounds were returned to the churches, including and peasants. The Empress reopened the house churches sealed at the time of Peter III and began to promote in every possible way the revival of the influence of clergy on censorship and the like.
Отмененная секуляризация церковных земель provoked unrest among the monastic peasants. And the nobility was, to put it mildly, dissatisfied. As a result, Catherine the Great took a new decision: temporarily suspend the abolition of secularization and create a commission to study the issue comprehensively. By that time, the empress had already made sure that the clergy as a political force was very weak. After all, her orders, although they provoked indignation and strong murmuring among the hierarchs, but no one dared to speak openly. Thus, according to the decree of 1764, all the episcopal, synodal, church and monastic fiefdoms were finally transferred to the jurisdiction of the College. But instead of the selected lands, the clergy now relied on regular maintenance, and later, during the general survey, it also received small land plots.
It is impossible to unequivocally answer what the secularization of church lands, good or bad, brought more, but the fact that this measure was truly outstanding in its age is certain.
