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Collected Works of V. I. Lenin - Vol. 3 - From Marx to Mao

Collected Works of V. I. Lenin - Vol. 3 - From Marx to Mao

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THE DEVELOPMENT OF CAPITALISM IN RUSSIA<br />

153<br />

horseless peasant from agriculture is 41.99 rubles, and from<br />

“industries” 59.04 rubles, and in the case <strong>of</strong> the one-horse<br />

peasant, 69.37 and 49.22 rubles. The mere juxtaposition<br />

<strong>of</strong> these figures shows that we have before us types <strong>of</strong> agricultural<br />

labourers with allotments which cover part <strong>of</strong> the<br />

subsistence expenditure (and because <strong>of</strong> this reduce wages).<br />

To confuse such types <strong>of</strong> peasants with proprie<strong>to</strong>rs (agriculturists<br />

and industrialists) means blatantly <strong>to</strong> disregard<br />

all the requirements <strong>of</strong> scientific research.<br />

At the other pole <strong>of</strong> the countryside we see just such<br />

proprie<strong>to</strong>rs as combine with independent crop farming commercial<br />

and industrial operations which yield an income<br />

that is considerable (under the given standard <strong>of</strong> living)<br />

and amounts <strong>to</strong> several hundred rubles. The utter indefiniteness<br />

<strong>of</strong> the heading “personal industries” conceals the differences<br />

between the bot<strong>to</strong>m and the <strong>to</strong>p groups in this<br />

respect, but the very size <strong>of</strong> the incomes from these “personal<br />

industries” reveals the extent <strong>of</strong> this difference (let<br />

us remind the reader that in the Voronezh statistics the<br />

category “personal industries” may include begging, agricultural<br />

labouring, service as steward, manager, etc., etc.).<br />

As regards the size <strong>of</strong> net income, the horseless and one-horse<br />

peasants again stand out very sharply, with their most miserable<br />

“balances” (1 <strong>to</strong> 2 rubles) and even deficits on the<br />

money side. The resources <strong>of</strong> these peasants are no larger,<br />

if not smaller, than those <strong>of</strong> wage-workers. Only beginning<br />

with the 2-horse peasants do we see at least some net incomes<br />

and balances <strong>of</strong> a few dozen rubles (without which there<br />

cannot be the slightest question <strong>of</strong> proper farming). Among<br />

the well-<strong>to</strong>-do peasantry net incomes reach sums (120 <strong>to</strong> 170<br />

rubles) that raise them well above the general level <strong>of</strong> the<br />

Russian working class.*<br />

* An apparent exception is provided by category e with its big<br />

deficit (41 rubles), which, however, is covered by a loan. This is<br />

explained by the fact that in three <strong>of</strong> the households (out <strong>of</strong> the 5 in this<br />

category) they celebrated weddings that cost 200 rubles. (The <strong>to</strong>tal<br />

deficit <strong>of</strong> these 5 households amounted <strong>to</strong> 206 rubles 90 kopeks.) As a<br />

result, this group’s expenditure on personal consumption, other than<br />

food, rose <strong>to</strong> the very high figure <strong>of</strong> 10 rubles 41 kopeks per person<br />

<strong>of</strong> both sexes, whereas in no other group, not excepting the rich group<br />

(f), does this expenditure amount <strong>to</strong> even 6 rubles. Consequently,<br />

this deficit is quite opposite in character <strong>to</strong> that <strong>of</strong> the poor peasants.

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