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

160
V. I. LENIN
Let us take further the data regarding the items of farm
expenditure.*
Composition of farm expenditure (rubles) per household
Replenishments and
repairs
Groups
On herdsmen
and sundries
buildings
Implements
and livestock
Total
{
On renting
of land
On labourers
and job-work
a) 0.52 2.63 0.08 2.71 0.25 3.52 7.00 8.12 15.12
b) 2.94 4.59 5.36 9.95 6.25 2.48 21.62 36.70 58.32
c) 5.73 14.38 8.78 23.16 17.41 3.91 50.21 71.21 121.42
d) 12.01 18.22 9.70 27.92 49.32 6.11 95.36 127.03 222.39
e) 19.32 13.60 30.80 44.40 102.60 8.20 174.52 173.24 347.76
f) 51.42 56.00 75.80 131.80 194.35 89.20 466.77 510.07 976.84
Total 9.37 13.19 13.14 26.33 35.45 10.54 81.69 98.91 180.60
These data are very eloquent. They strikingly reveal
to us how utterly wretched is the “farm” not only of the
horseless but also of the one-horse peasant; and how utterly
wrong is the customary method of lumping such peasants
with the few but powerful peasants who spend hundreds
of rubles on their farms, are in a position to improve their
implements, hire “working folk,” and “buy in” land on a
large scale, renting to the amount of 50, 100 and 200 rubles
a year.** Let us note, by the way, that the relatively
high expenditure of the horseless peasant on “labourers
and job-work” is very likely to be explained by the fact
that the statisticians have placed under this heading two
entirely different things: the hiring of a worker who has
to work with his employer’s implements, i.e., the hiring
of a farm labourer or day labourer; and the hiring of a
neighbouring peasant who has with his own implements
to cultivate the hirer’s land. These types of “hire,” diamet-
* Expenditure on the maintenance of livestock is mostly in
kind, the rest of the farm expenditure is mostly in money.
** How dear to the heart of such an “enterprising muzhik” must
be Mr. Karyshev’s “theory of rent” which advocates long leases, lower
rents, compensation for improvements, etc. That is just what he needs.
In all
On cattle
feed
Total