Russian Agricultural Reform
Russia’s agricultural techniques in the mid nineteenth century had not changed much since the medieval period. All the land in the village was divided between families according to how many mouths there were to feed. Everyone in the village planted the same thing at the same time. Farmers still left a third of their land lie fallow so it could replenish its supply of nitrogen. In the latter half of the nineteenth century the necessary agricultural procedures came into practice. Legumes were planted on the third of the land that once lay fallow to replace nitrogen more quickly. These legumes created more fodder for cattle, which meant more cattle could be kept. More cattle meant more meat, cheese, milk, butter, and natural fertilizer for more plentiful and substantial crops.In the Revolution of 1905, some peasant unrest was due to their insatiable thirst for land. With the modern, more productive farming techniques, more land could be farmed with less effort. In 1906, Stolypin became Prime Minister. Also in 1906, the Duma, under the leadership of Stolypin, encouraged the private ownership of land by peasants. Stolypin’s reforms allowed peasants to take parcels of land from landowners and own the land they worked. With enough land for each man to feed his family with surplus there was no need for the communal system that had so long been in practice and it was eventually abandoned. Stolypin’s reforms were designed to create a class of middle class farmers loyal to the monarchy that would stabilize the economy and government. In 1907 Stolypin reduced the representation of peasants in the Duma but made up for it by increasing land reforms in 1910 and 1911.
Land reform during World War I did more to hinder the war effort than to advance it. The Russian desertion rate in World War I was high due to a lack of supplies, training, transport, and stories from home of land grabs without punishment from the Czar. Many soldiers were peasants fresh from the family fields who had no reason to fight, but every reason to farm. Any chance at more land was reason enough to leave a war they felt they did not care to fight.
Land reform in Russia was never really effective. While more food might be produced, it was often hard or nearly impossible to get the excess food to the urban areas or war fronts that so desperately needed it. Also, the Communist influence in Russia was growing stronger. The Communists disagreed with the very idea of private property the peasants so treasured and had worked so hard to achieve. The conflict between peasants and Reds on the issue of private property proved problematic through out the reign of Nicholas II and into the Communist regime of Lenin.
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Works Cited
“Romanov, Nicholas II.” Microsoft Encarta 98 Encyclopedia. CD-ROM. 1993-1997. Microsoft Corporation.
“Romanov, Nicholas II.” The World Book Encyclopedia. 1992. World Book, Inc.
“Russia.” The Encyclopedia Americana International Edition. 1999. Grolier Incorporated.
“Russia.” Microsoft Encarta 98 Encyclopedia. CD-ROM. 1993-1997. Microsoft Corporation.
“Stolypin, Peter.” Microsoft Encarta 98 Encyclopedia. CD-ROM. 1993-1997. Microsoft Corporation.
Written by: Cori Ford
Edited by: Paige Greco
Web Editor: Gordon Lathrop