255 



abandonment of rural differentiation among farms. These basic impulses can be seen by 

 reference to a number of aspects in land reform. 

 Obtaining Land 



The "Law on Peasant Farms" stipulated the right of "every able-bodied citizen" who 

 possessed "specialized agricultural knowledge or past specialized training" to organiie a 

 peasant farm. In the case of many claims, preference is given to citizens who live in that 

 locality. The RSFSR Land Code (chapter 10, article 58) added that any citizen at least 18 

 years old who has experience in agriculture and the corresponding skills or who had past 

 specialized training may receive land. In practice, the way around the stipuladon requiring 

 "experience in agriculture" is to enroll in a course intended for new peasant farmers. 



Rural egalitarianism can be seen in the way prospective famiers obtain land. There are 

 two main methods for obtaining land. The first method is to obtain land from a coUecdve or 

 state farm. As the farm reorganizes, its workers are entitled to leave the farm, and to be 

 assigned land shares. If the farm is to be disbanded altogether, then fann land and pix^eity 

 are divided among its woricers. In die latter case, all farm workers receive an equal share of 

 land, irrespective of age or ability. 



If a person requests land from either a farm or then special land fund, then an 

 application (oc land is submitted to the local land refomj committtc,' After the land 

 committee processes the {q)plication, it sends the application to the raioa soviet The raion 

 soviet decides whether the land and how much of it will be given to the ^iplicant Each 

 raion has a "norm" for land to be given £rce for the creation of a peasant farm.^ In some 

 areas, the norms are very small, and additional land may be purchased or leased if desired 

 The size of land norms arc related to Ae quality of the land as well as the number of 

 claimants. In Kostroma raion. the norm for free land is 3.2 hectares. In outlying regions. 



S In Kostroma Oblast, the Committee on Und RoTonn consisted of 27 people, and each rakn had Its own 

 btanch. The ccnual omcc for Uie oblatt was located in Kosuoma dty am) had a lUff o( S peopki 



»ICo«tmmtkcivkr«v. MaiCh 10. 1992, ^ 1. 



