Expert board:

• Scientific Council of RAS on economic history;
• Research and Educational Center «The economic history of Central Russia and the Middle Volga region» of Ogarev Mordovia State University;
• Center of Economic History of  Lomonosov Moscow State University

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ISSN 2409-630X (Print), ISSN 2618-916X (Online)

DOI: 10.24412/2409-630X.067.020.202404.386-392

Elena S. Kravtsova

Kursk State Medical University (Kursk, Russia),

e-mail: elenakravcova@yandex.ru

 

The Economy of Peasants of the Russian Empire in the late XIX – early XX Centuries through the Eyes of Contemporaries

 

Abstract

Introduction. Analyzing the causes of political cataclysms of the Russian state in the early ХХ century, most researchers note such an important reason as the unresolved agrarian issue, which led to the growth of peasant discontent, and they were the largest social group in the country. The purpose of the article is to attempt to analyze the problems of peasant farming in Russia at the turn of the XIX – early XX centuries.

Materials and Methods. The work uses statistical data and research by scientists of the late XIX – early XX centuries. Historical research of the economic life of peasants includes various methods that allow a deeper understanding of their way of life, economic relations and social conditions. The method of analysis of primary sources, thanks to which it is possible to clarify economic practices. The method of economic analysis, which through the application of economic theory and analysis makes it possible to study economic practices. A method of thematic analysis that allows studying specific topics such as land relations, credit, trade, opportunities and constraints that peasants faced. These methods together allow researchers to fully and multifacetedly study the economic life of peasants, their environment and social conditions, which is important for historical science and understanding the processes that took place in agriculture.

Results. At the end of the 19th century, peasant farming in Russia was a complex system filled with both opportunities and problems. Thus, the main form of farming remained small peasant land ownership. Peasants most often focused on mixed farming, including both crop production (growing grain, vegetables) and animal husbandry (cattle breeding). The emancipation of the peasants created new conditions, but many peasants received land in an encumbered state, since they had to pay ransom for the land, which increased the debt burden. The average productivity of peasant farms remained low due to outdated agricultural methods. Many peasants did not use modern fertilizers and seeds, which led to inefficiencies in production and food shortages. Most peasants lived in poverty, and income from agriculture did not always cover the needs of their families. This was due to high taxes, as well as lack of access to markets and credit. Peasant life was full of difficulties. The social structure of the village was hierarchical, and many peasants depended on local landowners and trade, which limited their opportunities. The peasant community turned from an organization of like-minded people into a brake on the development of peasant farms. Peasant farming in Russia in the late 19th – early 20th centuries remained susceptible to negative factors that created tension and instability and ultimately contributed to the social and political changes of the early 20th century.

Discussion and Conclusion. These provisions and judgments proposed in the article create a basis for further more detailed study of the peasant economy in the Russian state of the late 19th – early 20th centuries, and can also be used in teaching the discipline History of the Fatherland in universities and schools.

Keywords: Russian Empire, peasant economy, allotments, peasant community, arrears.

For citation: Kravtsova E. S. The Economy of Peasants of the Russian Empire in the late XIX – early XX Centuries through the Eyes of Contemporaries. Economicheskaya istoriya = Russian Journal of Economic History. 2024; 20(4): 386–392. (In Russ.). DOI: 10.24412/2409-630X.067.020.202404.386-392.

 

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