The Question of Universal Conscription and Jewish Emancipation in the Russian-Jewish Press in 1874-1883

Russian-Jewish educated elites closely monitored the emancipation of the Jews in Western and Central Europe. The dissemination of universal conscription for Jews was one of the most significant indications of emancipation. Therefore, Russian-Jewish intellectuals and Jewish community leaders made numerous efforts to obtain the right for Jews to serve in the Russian Imperial Army on general terms. In 1874, many Russian officials and officers supported the idea of the drafting of the Jewish population to the army on a regular basis. However, universal conscription did not become the impetus for the emancipation of the Jews in the Russian Empire. The opponents of Jewish emancipation adopted the allegations of Jewish evasion from military service, and such statements appeared immediately after the introduction of universal conscription.

In such circumstances, Jewish intellectuals and community leaders urged Jews to fulfill their military service in order to demonstrate that Jews were worthy of obtaining equal civil rights. Nevertheless, the accusations of evasion from the conscription evolved into the principal argument against Jewish equality. Jewish journalists and activists made an attempt to refute the charges of Jews in evading military service referring to official statistics. They insisted that the accusations of Jews in mass evasion of military service were based on false information. Their opponents ignored that insistence. Finally, Jewish educated elite and activists considered the dissemination of universal conscription as a significant step towards emancipation; however, Jews did not receive equal civil rights in the Russian Empire.