Agricultural Reform 1

agriculture an important industry in its own right throughout the period.

majority of population continued to be employed in agricultural work. this was despite moves to industrialise russia.

tsars and communists had two things in common in their agricultural policies.

agriculture was always seen as being subservient to the needs of the  industry

meant taht governmnet policies focused on reforms taht increased food production and productivity to provide sustenence for the expanding of the urban proletariat

those who worked on the land were treated as second class citizens.

poor treatment of the peasents reflected the view that industry has to come frst so that russia could catch up and compete with the west.

Under communists all land was appropriated and managed by the state. this feuled resentment as it was evident that the ruling elite kept much land aside for personal use.

Under tsars land redistribution never met with the rising expectations of the peasents.

major changes to agriculture in reign of nicholas 2. new approach attempted after 1905 revolution.

due to countryside errupting in hunger after 1905 revolution

STOLYPIN

rural unrest peaked during 1905-7. Nicholas II, as a result of this, instructed stolypin to revamp governmnet policy over land distribution. Stolypin was his appointed as prime minister in 1906.

attempted 'modern solution'. to land question. did this by encouraging land purchase.

aim was to use land redistribution to build and strengthen the class of those more able and eductated, those rendered the 'best' peasents.

This was done in the hope taht they would act as role models for other peasents who would follow them and act as a force against the mir.

Mir (commune) abolished and peasents freer to migrate and encouraged to conbsolidate holdings and make improvements. Not unlike british policy in ireland and Lenin later saw it as being a major danger to any potential revolution if a conservative peasentry were to be created, loyal to tsar and church.

Reforms were weak.

STOLYPIN REFORM

unused or poorly utilised land made available to the peasent land bank. forward-looking peasents would then be able to  buy land from the bank on favourable terms.

peasents who were still farming strips due to the stength of the mir were given the right to consolidate their land into smallholdings.

It is notable that hereditary household plots were…