Krestiane-Darstvenniki

former Russian serfs who as a result of the Peasant Reform of 1861 received redemption-free land allotments. Such land allotments, equal in size to not less than one-fourth of the largest allotment for a given locality under the Statutes of February 19, 1861, were granted to the peasants without compensation by agreement with their pomeshchiki (landlords). The average redemption-free land allotment constituted about 1 desiatina (1.09 hectares) for every male and was significantly smaller than the prereform allotments.

On the whole, the kresfiane-darstvenniki appeared in the early 1860’s, mainly in the chernozem provinces, where in most cases land was rented and sold relatively cheaply and where high agricultural wages were paid. The pomeshchiki, primarily those with large estates, agreed to grant redemption-free land allotments, regarding this as a means of retaining as much of their land as possible and consolidating a cheap labor force in the provinces. The peasants often looked upon the redemption-free land allotments as an opportunity for quickly terminating their dependent relations with their pomeshchiki and for achieving complete economic independence without redemption payments or joint responsibility. The struggle for redemption-free land allotments was one of the trends of the peasant movement of the early 1860’s.

In the early 1880’s, the total number of krest’iane-darstvenniki in 32 provinces of European Russia was 500,000–525,000 peasants registered in population censuses. In a number of provinces, the krest ’iane-darstvenniki constituted a significant percentage of all former pomeshchik (landlord) peasants: 33.5 percent in Saratov Province, 30.3 percent in Kazan Province, 25.7 percent in Samara Province, 23.7 percent in Ekaterinoslav Province, and 20.1 percent in Simbirsk Province. In some districts their number was even greater: 97 percent in Vol’sk District, Saratov Province; 58 percent in Saratov District; 50 percent in ChristopoP District and in Spassk District, Kazan Province; and 40 percent in Syzran’ District, Simbirsk Province.

Inasmuch as before the reform of 1861 the majority of krest’-iane-darstvenniki had allotments significantly larger than the redemption-free allotments that were later received, the diminution in the size of their allotments was very great. In Simbirsk Province allotment sizes decreased by 77 percent; in Saraton Province, by 68 percent; and in Samara Province, by 59 percent. The krest’iane-darstvenniki’s loss of some of their land was the principal reason for the significant decrease in ownership of land by former pomeshchik peasants in a number of provinces (Saratov, Samara, Simbirsk, Voronezh).

A small number of krest’iane-darstvenniki managed to buy land at low prices. However, on the whole, the situation of the krest’iane-darstvenniki in the postreform period continually worsened, mainly bacause of the higher price of land and higher rates for land rental. The position of the krest’iane-darstvenniki was more difficult than that of the rest of the former pomeshchik peasants.

According to a 1907 survey, there were 216,700 households of krest’iane-darstvenniki (1,176,700 persons of both sexes). The average allotment per household was about 2 desiatinas (2.18 hectares). The krest’iane-darstvenniki took part in the peasant movement of the late 19th century and in the Revolution of 1905–07.