Sociology and Space, No. 18, 1967.
Review article
Lenin on the Agrarian and Peasant Questions
Petar Marković
Abstract
Lenin attached great importance to the processes of agricultural and rural
development. This is understandable in view of the fact that tsarist Russia
where he prepared a socialist revolution had all the characteristics of an agrarian
peasant country. Thus it was in Russia that many theories came into being which
were contrary to the Marxist interpretations of historical evolution. Using the
example of agriculture and peasantry, their authors tried to prove Marxist analysis
wrong. They insisted that the special features of agriculture call for different
laws of development (influence of natural factors, work with living matter,
land as a special means of production, etc.). Thus defined, the agrarian question
raised by bourgeois and revisionist economists did not exist for Lenin. For this
sphere too is penetrated by capitalism, which leads to concentration, differentiation
and social contrasts. One can only speak of different forms of its emergence
in agriculture and industry, while the basic features remain the same. There are
numerous works in which Lenin argued with the Populists and other champions
of the agrarian question.
The second group of questions which Lenin was concerned with derives from
attempts to determine the attitude of the proletariat towards the peasants. Like
Engels and Kautsky before him, he too was in favour of a firm alliance with
small and medium farmers in the preparation for and realization of the revolution
and, after its victory, for a gradual inclusion of the peasants in large-scale socialist
agriculture on the principle of voluntary agreement and financial interest.
The third group of questions studied by Lenin refers to the systems of co-
-operation and association. In voluntary large-scale association of small producers
Lenin saw the only way for agricultural development in the conditions of pettv
ownership. But this involved an indispensable need for the development of
industry which would provide agriculture with the necessary means.
Keywords
Hrčak ID:
118638
URI
Publication date:
14.12.1967.
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