農奴解放前のロシヤの農村共同体

抄録

The aim of this paper is to describe and discuss the organization, activities and functions of the Russian village commune (мир or община) of the seigniorial peasants on the eve of the Emancipation of 1861. In those days the commune held meetings which usually consisted of the heads of families and performed the self-governing activities within certain limits. These activities, for example, were election of the commune officials, equal division of obligations for which the commune was jointly responsible, equal distribution (periodical redistribution) of the plowland and meadow, common lease and purchase of the land, and mutual aid (help to the poor, the aged, the sufferers, etc.). However, these activities were always under the control of the seignior. The final right for decision of the commune meetings usually rested with the seignior. As for the commune officials, almost all of them were usually rich peasants and priests who stood on the side of the seignior. Besides the seignior very often took advantage of the self-governing character of the commune in managing his estate. And the commune assisted and acted for the seignior in exercising his power over peasants in punishment, recruitment, marriage and so on. It can easily be understood that the most important self-governing activities of the commune-solidarity and equal division of obligations, equal distribution of the land-were intended to insure regular payments by the peasants. It was for the same reason that the seignior occasionally encouraged mutual aid activities of the commune. It is, therefore, reasonable to conclude that the essential function of the commune on the eve of the Emancipation consisted in assisting the seignior in exercise of his power.