APPENDIX II 235 



system. With a view to improve the extremely backward 

 and ineffective system of farming in Russia and to raise the 

 peasants from their abject state of poverty, important 

 agrarian legislation was undertaken in 1906. The two most 

 important factors in the reforms instituted consisted of — 



(a) The abolition of collective family ownership, and the 

 substitution of the head of the family as the free and in- 

 dependent owner of the holding. 



(b) The reuniting in one contiguous holding the scattered 

 plots which formerly made up the holding. 



These measures were applied in the case of some lands on 

 the application of the holders, and in the case of others 

 compulsorily. 



It was objected that it was unjust to deprive the other 

 members of the family of their rights in the holdings, and 

 the theoretical "injustice" of the proceeding was admitted; 

 but it was held that these men who were dispossessed of 

 their illusory rights to a share of the produce of uneconomic 

 holdings would be better off as free labourers, and that the 

 measure was necessary for the regeneration of agricultural 

 practice. As a matter of fact agricultural wages in Russia 

 have risen largely since that time, and the condition of the 

 dispossessed sharers has been improved. 



As a result of these measures it is now reported that — 



(a) More than three-fourths of the investigated farms 

 have now land in one contiguous piece, while formerly the 

 great majority consisted of six or more separate pieces of 

 land, and many of them of 30, 40 or even 100 pieces. 



(6) Most of the farmers now live on or near their own farm. 



(c) More than 40 per cent, of the peasants have now 

 carried out marked improvements on their farm lands. 



(d) Agricultural implements have been greatly improved 

 in quality. 



(e) Agricultural practice has been greatly improved. 



(/) The harvest gathered in recent years on these newly 



