158 RUSSIA - MISCELLANEOUS 



farms into scattered parcels were uot still far more to be deplored and if it 

 were possible, generally speaking, to maintain it. It must be allowed, on 

 the contrary, that that system was maintained absolutely as long as it was 

 possible from the economic and political point of view, and that it was quite 

 time to abandon it. Besides, except for colonization of Siberia, it was im- 

 possible to introduce any other agricultural system than that prevalent in 

 Western Europe, with, perhaps, a few modifications to which we have referred 

 and which we have given the reasons for; for, in viev/ of the Umited area of 

 land fit for cultivation and the general conditions for the existence of man- 

 kind on the earth, in consequence of the increase of population, there is no 

 economic system which v.'ill never present defects and will not finally lead 

 to serious difficulties. 



(b) The most important objections raised with regard to the practical 

 carrpng out of the new agricultural laws may be summarised as follows : 



It is said that, in general, the comparatively excessive rapidity, in 

 view of the technical means available, with which the labours of the land 

 commissions have been so far conducted, has often injured the work and some 

 of the surveying and readjustment is incomplete and will have, sooner or 

 later, to be done over again. 



vSuch haste in the conduct of the work will certainly diminish of itself and 

 in the future the readjustment wiU be carried out at a normal rate. 



Considerable advance, besides, has already been made in the surveying 

 and readjustment. We see, however, that the specialists required for the 

 technical completion of the work are still too few, so that it has often been 

 necessary to employ as assistant surveyors young men who do not possess 

 the necessary knowledge. It is the rather to be wondered at that the 500 

 members of the land commissions have been able in so short a time to 

 acquire even elementary notions of the art. 



The technical errors committed b}'^ the land commissions are mainly 

 due to too great anxiety to satisfy the special desires of the peasants ; tliis 

 is besides, justifiable in localities where work of this kind is carried out for 

 the first time, as it is very important, in order to give the first impulse to a new 

 organisation and rouse the peasants from the indclence in which they have 

 lived for centuries, first to awake their interest and render them conscious 

 of the advantage of being freed from the unfavourable conditions under 

 which they live, all of which is sometimes only possible on condition of ac- 

 commodating oneself to the peasants' point of view and making some con- 

 cessions to them. If too formal a course is pursued and only the technical 

 requirements considered, without regard to the wishes and ideas of the peas- 

 ants, there is often a risk of provoking general opposition and the complete 

 arrest of the work of farm readjustment throughout the region. 



In addition to what we have just said, the principal defects and diflSc- 

 ulties met with in the practical carrying out of the reforms may be summar- 

 ised as follows : 



(i) In accordance with the reiterated desires of the peasants, lots have 

 sometimes been formed of several detached parcels (instead of forming one 

 piece), on account of the diversified character of the land. Such deviations 



