What is barshchina? Corvee and dues are types of rent on the lands of Kievan Rus

Modern society spoiled by the blessings of civilization. Young people, waking up in the morning, drink a cup of coffee, turn on a laptop to get acquainted with breaking news, answer letters from friends, then leisurely going to school or work. Has anyone thought about how the morning began 100, 200, 300 years ago for the same girls and boys? Today, not everyone will be able to correctly answer the question of what quitrent and corvée are, and after all, just about two centuries ago, people worked out the service, did not belong to themselves, ruined their health in other people's fields.

What is a quitrent?

Over the centuries, several definitions of this concept have appeared. Quit first arose at the beginning of the formation Ancient Russia when taxes were introduced. Then the princes collected tribute from their subordinates in the form of food, money, goods. Later, this type of duty appeared as the obligation of the peasants to give part of the money or products to the feudal lords. The reform of 1861 abolished the food quitrent, and the cash quitrent was kept for another two years.

In the days of feudalism, peasants were considered someone's property, so the feudal lords could give for use not only specific people but also entire villages. The quitrent can be compared to a lease, that is, a nobleman provided another nobleman with his possessions for use. In the 16th century, a state tax appeared, duties were paid by landowners to the treasury. At the same time, the quitrent also applied to the peasants, only they paid it not to the state, but to the owner of the land on which they lived and used to grow food. People could pay the master with money, goods or their own labor.

What is barshchina?

For three centuries (XVI-XIX centuries) corvee existed. The definition of this concept is very simple - a peasant paid for the rent of a land plot owned by a feudal lord with his own labor. This is nothing but one of the forms of the labor system. Corvee and dues are, in fact, very similar. Since the poor could not always pay tribute to the feudal lord in the form of money or food, because they themselves were left with nothing, the rich allowed them to repay the debt with labor.

What is quitrent and corvée in essence? These are peculiar forms of payment of rent for land. Corvee was collected only by physical labor, but it could be varied: farming, hunting, fishing, gardening, cattle breeding, etc. No one was exempt from this tribute, the work was absolutely free, the master did not pay anything for it.

The size of the duties

During the time of feudalism, local “Regulations” were in force, which deciphered in detail what quitrent and corvée were, as well as in what amounts they were charged. The amount paid for land varied depending on its location. For example, peasants living near St. Petersburg paid 12 rubles, but Moscow and Yaroslavl gave only 10 rubles. The smallest amount - 9 rubles - was paid by the poor of the Kursk and Voronezh provinces. Having paid tribute, the peasant could not only use the landowner's land, but also freely dispose of his property. labor force.

Barshchina is physical labor, which was performed by temporarily liable and serfs for the master. The amount of duty was calculated on the basis of a person's shower allotment. For one land plot, women worked for a month, and men for 40 days. At the same time, the feudal lord did not provide tools, the poor had to come with their choppers, plows, shovels, fishing rods, etc. Women fell under corvée at the age of 17 to 50 years, and men - from 18 to 55 years.

What is quitrent and corvee? What is the difference?

Corvee:

  • Peasants with personal tools worked for free on the land of the landowners.
  • The poor could work not only for the master, but also for the monastery, church, educational institution.
  • Duty was based on work with agriculture.
  • Corvee is beneficial for the landlords who lived in the villages, since they themselves could set the amount of working off.
  • Duty enslaved the peasants and became widespread in Russia.

quitrent:


Cancellation of duties

In Russia, quitrent and corvee somehow got accustomed very well. Although there were differences between these two duties, they both made the peasants slaves, strangled them, and did not allow them to develop. The intelligentsia tried to fight feudalism, but everything was in vain, the landlords, like leeches, sucked the strength out of the poor, exploiting them for their own purposes. Serfdom was abolished in 1861, and quitrent was abolished in 1863. Nevertheless, it took several more decades to completely change the minds of people, to rebuild the economy on new way and destroy feudalism.

quitrent

This concept has several definitions. For the first time this term is mentioned in connection with the collection of taxes in the earliest period of Ancient Russia. At that time, quitrent meant almost any tribute collected by princes from people subordinate to them in the form of money, food or goods. Later, dues began to be understood as a type of duty of peasants to the feudal lords, which consisted in paying tribute to the landowner in food or money. Monetary dues remained in Russia until 1863, and food dues were abolished by the reform of 1861.

The ancients understood the concept of quitrent in the same way as we perceive the word “rent” today, that is, a fixed-term or perpetual right to use property that follows from a lease agreement. Since the peasants at the dawn of feudalism were considered in fact a thing, the property of the feudal lord, it was normal to give someone "for rent", that is, for rent, entire villages along with the people living there.

Starting from the 16th century. quitrent is used in the sense of the state tax, which was paid to the state treasury by land owners. The quitrent was also paid by the peasants to their landowner for the fact that he gave them the right to live and work on his land, as well as grow vegetables and feed. The quitrent was paid in money or goods, it was also possible to work off the quitrent by labor. Later corvee began to form from this tradition.

Corvee

Corvee is the work of a serf in favor of the feudal lord on his land in payment of the rent of the plot on which the peasant works to feed his family.

Corvee became widespread in the 16th century. and existed until the 19th century, and in some territories until the 20th century. - as one of the forms of the developed system after the abolition of serfdom.

Corvee came to replace quitrent. The peasants, who received certain allotments from the feudal lord and could live there and grow their own vegetables for food, were not always able to pay the feudal tribute in goods or money, otherwise they themselves would have nothing to feed themselves. In this regard, more and more often the feudal lords allowed their serfs to earn dues by labor.

The corvee had several basic principles. Firstly, the corvee was charged exclusively by physical labor, and not by goods. This work could be the most diverse: work on the land, fishing, hunting and much more. Secondly, corvée was obligatory, no one was exempt from it, and it served as a kind of form of payment of rent for land. Thirdly, it was absolutely free labor in favor of the feudal lord: a peasant could work on the land of his master for several weeks, but not get anything for it.

Corvee, in contrast to quitrent, turned out to be a more tenacious system and lasted a long time. Often these two types of duty were combined.

The end of corvée and dues

Corvée and dues in Russia, although they actively fought against them and considered them a relic of feudalism, existed for a long time, until the 19th century. This was facilitated by the economic state of the country: feudalism did not allow the regional economy to develop in the right way, the peasants did not have money, so they were forced to depend on richer people, paying those rents either in goods or in work. Despite the abolition of serfdom, it took several decades to finally destroy the feudal system and rebuild the economy.

Barshchina, labor rent, one of the forms of feudal land rent, gratuitous forced labor of a dependent peasant working with his own equipment in the feudal lord's household. Forcing a peasant to corvee required the greatest (in comparison with other forms of feudal rent) restriction of his personal freedom. The productivity of corvée labor was low, the productive forces under the rule of corvee labor developed slowly. Corvee could include field work, cart service, construction and handicraft work, and logging. The size and economic role of corvée in different stages feudalism and different countries ah were not the same.
In the countries of the East, where the landlords usually did not run their own economy, corvée was not widespread, but the peasants were actively involved in state work on the construction of irrigation facilities, roads, bridges, and palaces. Various forms of forced labor, approaching corvée, persisted in modern times and Newest time, which is associated with the remnants of feudal relations, landlessness and lack of land of the peasantry, the prevalence of enslaving forms of peasant rent.
In Western Europe, corvée spread from the 8th-9th centuries; in a number of large estates, it was the dominant form of rent, and its duration among peasants of certain categories was 2-4 days a week. From the 12th-13th centuries, in connection with the reduction of the master's economy and the distribution of the domain into holdings, the displacement of corvee by dues began. Although in some areas in different time there was a temporary return to corvée, it disappears by the 14th-15th century, remaining until the 17th-18th century only in the form of small working off (several days a year) in the bad season.
In most countries of Central and especially of Eastern Europe corvee in the Middle Ages did not play a significant role, but in the 16-17 centuries with the development of entrepreneurial landlord economy, corvee becomes the dominant type of agricultural production and creates the basis for the "second edition of serfdom." Corvee increases for most peasants to 4-5 and even 6 days a week. The gradual reduction of corvée began only in the second half of the 18th century, but some of its remnants (mainly in the form of working off for peasant land leases) persisted until the end of World War II.
The emergence of corvee in Russia is attributed to the times of Kievan Rus. At first, the labor of serfs was mainly used, and in the 13-15 centuries, along with the use of serfs in large secular estates, the labor of peasants began to be used on the monastery lands. In addition to corvée, in Russia in the 13-15 centuries, quitrent in kind became widespread. At the end of the 15th-16th century, with the growth of commodity-money relations, corvee became more widespread, covering almost all types of economy and categories of dependent peasantry (especially in connection with the economic crisis of the 1560s-1580s). The peasants in the corvee performed several types of work: they cultivated the master's arable land, carried underwater service, harvested hay, built houses, outbuildings. Corvee contributed to the creation in Russia of a nationwide system of serfdom.
Commodity-money relations played a decisive role in the spread of corvée. Under the conditions of developing commodity production, when demand in the market and prices for agricultural products were constantly growing, the interest of the landlords in expanding their farms increased, and they began to intensively transfer the peasants to corvée. Thus, corvée no longer served a natural closed economy, but a commodity-money economy, thereby acquiring a new economic content.
In the 17th - the first half of the 18th century corvée and quitrent in kind were the main forms of exploitation of landlord, church, and palace peasants. Simultaneously, there was a geographical differentiation various forms rent. Corvee began to prevail in the central black earth regions of the country, as well as in the districts adjacent to Moscow. In the north and east of the country, there was a transition to cash dues. Corvee was 2-4 days a week. In the 17th century there appeared the new kind corvee - work at landlord enterprises (potash, cloth, linen). In the second half of the 18th century, areas of corvee distribution were clearly defined. In seven provinces of the Chernozem region (Oryol, Tula, Ryazan, Penza, Tambov, Kursk, Voronezh), 74% of the landlord peasants were in corvée. In thirteen provinces of the Non-Chernozem Region (Olonets, Petersburg, Moscow, Novgorod, Smolensk, Tver, Yaroslavl, Kostroma, Vologda, Vladimir, Pskov, Kaluga, Nizhny Novgorod) corvee covered 45% of the serfs. Corvee prevailed in the Baltic States, Belarus and Ukraine. In the form of tithe arable land, corvee was preserved among the state peasants of Siberia. Palace (subsequently appanage) and most of the state peasants of Russia were on a cash quitrent.
The size of the corvée was not regulated by law. In 1797, a decree was issued on a three-day corvee, but it was advisory in nature and was ignored by the landlords. In practice, corvee in certain regions of Russia has reached 3-4 and even 6 days a week. A new moment in the development of the corvee consisted in the transfer of the peasants to the month, in which they, receiving food from the landowner every month, had to go to the corvee every day. The strengthening of the corvee led to the ruin of the peasant economy, the dispossession of the peasants.
After the abolition of serfdom in Russia (1861), corvée was not abolished and was retained under the name "share duty" for temporarily liable peasants. In 1882, with the introduction of compulsory redemption, corvée was legally abolished, but in essence continued to exist in the form of a labor service system. At the end of the 19th century, it prevailed over capitalist methods of farming in 12 black earth and 5 non-black earth provinces. In seven provinces, both systems occupied approximately the same position.

a form of land rent, gratuitous forced labor of a dependent peasant working with his own equipment in the feudal lord's household. In Western Europe, B. spread from the Vin-IX centuries, from the XII-XIII centuries. began to be replaced by quitrents and by the XIV-XV centuries. came to naught. B. has not received wide circulation in the countries of the East. It appeared in Russia during the Kiev domination. Widespread in European Russia in the 2nd floor. XVI - 1st half of the XIX centuries. After the abolition of serfdom in 1861, it was preserved for temporarily liable peasants as a sharecropper. Canceled 1882

Great Definition

Incomplete definition ↓

CORVEE

gratuitous forced labor of a serf who works with his own inventory in the lordly (landlord) economy. The coercion of the peasant to B. demanded the greatest (in comparison with other forms of feudal rent) restriction of his personal freedom, so her widespread use usually accompanied by the most severe forms of feudal dependence. B. spread in Western Europe from the 8th-9th centuries, from the 12th-13th centuries. began to be replaced by quitrents and by the XIV-XV centuries. came to naught. It appeared in Russia during the time of the Kievan state and spread widely in European Russia in the second half of the 16th - first half of the 19th centuries. After the abolition of serfdom in 1861, it was preserved for temporarily liable peasants as sharecropping. Canceled 1882

One of the most important stages in the history of Europe and Russia is the period of corvee. This is a kind of labor service, which is performed for the land provided by the feudal lords. In Western Europe, a similar obligation extended to a small master's economy, and the most various works. Field work was widespread in Russia.

Definition and history of corvée

At the turn of the 16th-18th centuries corvee in Russia and Western Europe was the main element in agricultural production. Peasants were attached to the lands and forced to do certain work for debts or land grants. From the lands provided by the feudal lords, the peasants could take only a small share of the grown crop, and the rest went to the owners. The terms of corvee were calculated in days, months or years. In some cases, it got to the point that people did forced labor for several decades or their entire lives. Serfs were engaged not only in agriculture, but also performed such work as:

  • construction;
  • carpentry;
  • housekeeping.

The first mention of the use of corvée in agricultural production is recorded in Russkaya Pravda. Labor service spread, quickly especially hurting European part Russia. Unlike Europe, forced labor for peasants lasted until the 19th century and was actually abolished in 1917.

Corvee is a labor service in contrast to quitrent, which is a payment in cash, although both of these systems can be attributed to a tax. The feudal lords used the so-called legislative sanctions, which made it possible to establish certain relationships between the parties and use the peasants to work on their lands.

Corvee was not fully considered forced labor, since this labor was gratuitous. The peasant received remuneration for cultivating the land or performing other work, but he himself did not have the right to claim or demand payment for his labor.

The use of corvée at work

Corvee work in the XV-XVIII century performed in favor of the feudal lord in Western Europe and the boyar in Russia. This name came from the Old High Germanic language, where "fro" means master. This clearly characterizes the kind of work that has features from compulsory labor. In the first case, the peasant works only for the boyars or feudal lords, who belong to the upper class. This is a kind of slavery, because the size of the corvée was often set for several decades. Compulsory works for the benefit of the country or community had a specific purpose, in the form of building a dam, building a road or other public works. Such state duty belonged to the category - natural.

The introduction of corvee service is closely connected with the emergence and cancellation. In fact, this is the main element of this system, in which labor activity on the lands of landowners was a duty for serfs.

This type of labor in times of serfdom should be singled out in separate category, because corvee is significantly different from free work and is different from slavery.

free labor- it's kind of contract of employment to perform urgent works, which will be paid by the amount of money, crops or in another way agreed between the two parties. When using corvée, the serf received only a small share of his work and only at the discretion of the boyar. That is, the landowner could reward the serf, although most often the latter got only “crumbs” for survival.

Corvée differs little from slavery, and yet there is a difference. If a person fell into slavery, then he turned out to be completely subordinate to the owner. Slaves were equated with things and given them to own personal things or property rights. In addition, the result of the work of the slave entirely became the property of the master. Corvee implies compulsory labor, but does not deprive serfs of personal belongings and free time. After work, they could go home and do whatever they wanted to do.

The essence of serfdom and corvee

Serfdom developed on the territory of Russia quickly and widely. At first, agreements were reached between the boyars and the serfs. The latter worked for the good of the master, but at the same time received their own personal time. During this time, they managed to use the land of the master with his permission and thus earn their living. This way of earning was small, and only enough to feed themselves.

In the future, corvee service and serfdom, as a form of government, changed in legislative terms. Boyars and feudal lords in Western Europe had a chance not only to have serfs, but also to cover their family ties. That is, if the serfs had children who were subsequently obliged to serve the master. In addition, the boyars had the right to transfer family labor service from hand to hand to serfs. Peasants often became a gift, in the high strata of society.

Serfdom made it possible to use serfs not only as a labor unit, but in some cases as warriors. It is explained simply. Each of the ranks of the high class had its own banner, which indicated the nobility of the family. The serfs were in the possession of the boyars, which means they had to be under the banner. In the case of small conflict situations the masters used the serfs as warriors, giving out only small utensils as weapons. Such historical "games" among the upper class were rare, but they are mentioned in history.

The mention of corvée in ancient civilization

This is a relatively old system that was borrowed by Europe and Russia from earlier times.

Corvee was mentioned in writings from states such as:

  • Greece;
  • Germany.

The countries listed above in ancient times were the titans of the world, but the introduction of corvee led to the collapse. For example, in ancient rome Initially, arable farming was used, which led to the prosperity of this state, but free labor was eventually replaced by corvée. It was done too early and hastily. The difference between the results at work free people and the obligation was colossal. prosperous great empire began to steadily roll down, and therefore it was decided to use free labor again, but at the same time introduce dues.

Approximately the same scenario happened in Greece, where not only agriculture and the political level were developed. In Greece, all people were well versed in politics, freedom and their rights, because it was not in vain that democracy began its formation in this state. The introduction of corvee not only reduced the level Agriculture, but also gave rise to unrest on the part of the population, so a similar system in the manner of Rome was replaced by quitrent.

From other sources follows that there was no corvée in the Roman Empire at all. During the capture of the Roman provinces by the Germanic tribes, Tacitus, referring to the serfdom, said:

“The Germans have slaves in a different position than ours, among whom separate household services are distributed. Each has its own farm, homestead. The master only imposes on them, as on colonies (ut colono), a certain quitrent of clothes, bread, cattle - this is all slavery ”

This suggests that in the Roman Empire, most likely, quitrent was originally used, and corvée did not spread everywhere, but only among small owners with the consent of the serfs, who wanted to use the land for food.

Regardless of the choice of source, it follows that corvée and dues were not introduced into the Roman Empire by the Germans. This form of government initially developed there, and after the conquest of the Roman provinces was not abolished. The Germans treated the inhabitants of Rome more respectfully, which is why many Roman residents moved to the already conquered villages.

The abolition of serfdom and corvee

February 16, 1861 by decree of Alexander II serfdom was abolished, but only partially. Among the features of this reform, the following elements should be highlighted:

  • people ceased to be considered serfs and received the right to have personal lands;
  • each former serf had the right to redeem or receive a quarter of the land from the allotment for free;
  • consolidation of property in personal property.

This form of government was met with criticism from the boyars, but later the reform was adopted. The peasants only at the beginning rejoiced at the new reform, but subsequently significant flaws appeared . Primarily, many peasants were left without land for their own subsistence. It was possible to redeem the land by earning, remaining with the master as an urgently obligated worker, but this required more than one year. Often the option of obtaining a free quarter of the land from the allotment also disappeared, since many boyars gave out territory with poor soil. In wetlands, with a high content of clay in the soil, only a small number of crops can be grown.

This division led to a significant deterioration in the field of agriculture. While the masters lost their serfs, the peasants could not get land and earn their livelihood by labor. Only a few decades later, after numerous amendments to this form of government, corvee service was completely eradicated.

Conclusion

The introduction of corvee service, as a form of government in Russia and Western Europe, is of great importance for the history of the development of entire states.

To understand what quitrent and corvée are, you need to delve a little into history. The fact is that the landlords had to provide the peasants certain area land for temporary use, that is, this land remained assigned to the landowner and was not the property of the peasants. In addition, the peasants had to bear certain duties until such time as a redemption transaction was carried out between him and the feudal lord. However, there was no deadline for such a buyout, so this kind of relationship from “temporary” became long-term. At the same time, the forms of duties, as well as their sizes, were established by local "Regulations".

The duties of the peasants: quitrent and corvée

These "Regulations" provided for two types of duties, among them were quitrent and corvée. The amount of dues from peasants could range from nine to twelve rubles, depending on the location of the land. The largest dues in the amount of 12 rubles were paid by the peasants who used the land near St. Petersburg. Petersburg, Moscow and Yaroslavl landowners collected quitrent from the peasants in the amount of 10 rubles. And those peasants who worked on the black earth in the Voronezh and Kursk provinces paid only 9 rubles for a shower allotment. The essence of quitrent at that time was that the peasant paid not only for the size of the land economy and non-agricultural income, but also for the right to dispose of his own labor force.

The concept of quitrent is based on some taxation of the peasant by the owner of the land plot in monetary and natural form. The peasant had to pay a certain sum of money from his earnings from the land, as well as to give part of the products received from the land of the landowner.

Another duty was the corvée, which was preserved in the estates even after the reform. What is barshchina? Corvee is the work that serfs and temporarily liable peasants performed for the feudal lord. Depending on the per capita allotment of the peasants, the amount of corvée duty was calculated. For each land plot, men had to serve about 40 days of service, and women served 30 days of service. At the same time, the peasants were obliged to come to work with their own economic tool. It is worth noting that men aged 18 to 55, as well as women aged 17 to 50, fell under this duty.

What is corvée, history has conveyed to us in some detail. It lies in the duty of the peasants, which meant working out the master on the land. That is, the peasants had to sow, plow and mow the land of the landowner, as well as harvest for a certain period of time for the use of the master's land property.

Now you know what corvée and dues are.

Wikipedia explains that corvée is unpaid forced labor for land plot landowner, carried out by the peasant in predetermined volumes for a certain period of time using his tools and tools.

The time frame for the prevalence of this phenomenon includes the 16th-19th centuries, although references to this type of duty are recorded in written sources different countries in the earlier period.

The phenomenon flourished most in Russia and European countries in the period from the 15th to the 18th centuries. Its defining essence is free work performed by peasants for the benefit of feudal lords in exchange for providing land for personal use, without the right to receive remuneration.

In fact, the peasants could take only a part of the grown crop for themselves, a significant share of it went to the landowner. The term of work for the master was calculated in days, months, in some cases even decades.

The concept of "corvée" is inextricably linked with the development of the serf system, it cannot be attributed to the free labor activity performed by agreement of the parties, but it is not classified as slavery either. The slaves were deprived of personal freedom, and the peasants dependent on the landlords had free time for solutions life problems, home improvement, farming, had the right to their own tools and personal belongings.

Note! Corvee became one of the forms of feudal rent; in addition, there was food and cash rent.

A special place in the system of labor duties was occupied by field work, which was widespread in warm time of the year. Due to employment in the master's field, the peasant practically did not have the opportunity to process his own crops in a timely manner.

Difference from quitrent

Quit - a type of duty, which is a tax for the use of the lands of the landowner. This form of rent obliges to give the landowner a part of the crop in in kind or in monetary terms. The most common form of quitrent was the "5th sheaf" (1/5 of the harvest received was given to the landowner). In addition, the quitrent could include handicrafts and handicrafts.

In order to combat the arbitrariness of land owners, the amount of dues that the peasant was obliged to pay was legally established. For each province, the amount of payment was calculated individually. After completing the work and paying taxes, the peasant had the opportunity to work freely to maintain his well-being.

Determining the differences between working off a master and paying dues is possible after a comprehensive study of the main characteristics.

Features of corvée Features of quitrent
Free labor activity in the lands of the landowner Separation of part of the crop or Money from the sale of agricultural products to the budget of the landowner
The church and the state could act as a "master" Diverse scope
The work was carried out mainly in the agricultural sector Payment was made in advance
The amount of time for working off was determined by the owner of the land independently This form was convenient for the nobles living in the city.
Distributed in varying degrees of intensity throughout the territory of the Russian state Limited distribution (among the wealthy serfs and in conditions of insufficiently high yields)

Thus, it can be noted that general difference labor service from various payments in favor of the landowner is very significant. What is common is the parallel existence of all forms of rent in the period of the strongest serfdom.

The evolution of the concept in Russia

The first mention of the practice of corvee within the borders of the Russian state refers to the period of existence of Kievan Rus. This is the gratuitous work of serfs in large estates. Russkaya Pravda mentions the beginnings of corvée, which is characterized by the execution different kind procurement works.

During this period, the relationship between landowners and purchases was of a contractual nature: temporary employment in the master's economy was due to debts for the use of the owner's agricultural implements or the opportunity to live on the land.

In the Middle Ages, the labor of peasants was introduced on the monastic lands and the quitrent was introduced. Wage labor on arable land and meadows in exchange for remuneration from the landowner is also gaining ground. In written sources, it is noted that these works are voluntary, which means that there is no legal regulation of corvée.

With the growth of commodity-money relations in the 16th century, the corvée expanded its action, attracting new categories of peasants, forming the general mass of the dependent population. Agricultural goods were in great demand in the domestic market, the landowners were interested in increasing profits and crop areas, and as a result, in increasing the tax burden on the peasants. Passing this path of development, the corvee is already more focused on expanding trade relations and increasing the profitability of enterprises than on meeting the vital needs of the landowner.

The work was varied. These were not only labor duties associated with the processing of the lord's arable land, but also activities to keep the landlord's yard in order, construction, hay harvesting, and cattle care. As a result of development industrial production attachment of entire villages to manufactories was practiced.

It is important to note! During this period, in the Russian state, by increasing the number of taxes and the growth of quitrent, a nationwide system of serfdom was being formed.

In the 17th century, there was a differentiation of types of rent in different regions of the country. It is logical that the corvee was most widespread in the black earth regions and in the central districts than in the northern and eastern regions. Corvée economy is characterized as inefficient, it was replaced by quitrent payments. State peasants were planted on a cash quitrent.

The sphere of application of forced labor is also expanding, peasants are being used to work on industrial enterprises. There were no clearly defined rules establishing the size of the corvée. The decree on a three-day corvée issued in 1797 was more of a recommendation for landowners. The practice of switching to a month was popular: in exchange for daily work, the landlord kept the serf, providing food and shelter.

The strengthening of the feudal system Negative influence on the economic component of the peasant economy, leading to the dispossession of land and the ruin of huge peasant masses.

Peasants during the release of the manifesto on the three-day corvee

Features of managing abroad

Corvée type of housekeeping in its classical form has not become widespread in Eastern countries. The form of labor conscription was presented in the form of attracting peasants to construction at the state level of importance:

  • bridges,
  • palaces,
  • irrigation.

For Western Europe corvee - the most characteristic way of life in the patrimony:

  1. The use of forced peasant labor has been practiced since the 8th century, its duration varied from 2 to 4 times a week.
  2. By the XII century, in connection with the reduction of the master's economy and the transition to the domain, quitrent gradually began to displace corvée.
  3. By the beginning of the 17th century, corvée had completely outlived its usefulness, having been preserved in the form of working off for several days a year.

Corvée in Europe

The feudal economy of France and Germany followed a similar path. People employed in corvee work had practically no right to free labor, the authorities did not worry about their well-being. It was possible to get rid of the remnants of the old system only through coup d'état and large-scale reform of the system of society and the state.

Territorially, corvee existed in the northern lands of Italy, however, the main form of rent was dues. Corvee labor in Spain did not develop intensively due to the influence of the invasion of the Arabs in the 8th century, who were not supporters of this type of service. The same situation accompanied the history of the Balkan states, which were under the rule of Ottoman Empire. The struggle for independence from feudal fetters in Sweden, Norway and Switzerland was already over by the 14th century.

The English monarchy did not support the humiliation of the lower strata of society by the nobles, so free labor on the lands of the feudal lords was not welcomed. On the other hand, hired labor and paid obligatory work were actively spread. After the transformations carried out by Charles II in the second half of the 17th century, feudal remnants in society were completely destroyed.

During the Middle Ages, the exploitation of peasant labor was not widespread in the countries of Central and Eastern Europe, but in modern times, with the development of entrepreneurship, serfdom makes a new round, establishing corvee work as the dominant type of agricultural production. The term of working off increases, reaching in some cases almost daily. A significant reduction in labor duties occurred only by the end of the 18th century, but the remnants of the old way of life in certain territories continued to exist until the middle of the 20th century.

Useful video: traditional economy - corvée and dues

Conclusion

The abolition of serfdom in Russia in 1861 also marked the abolition of duties. A complete rejection of established forms of rent was impossible in a short period, because of this, a category of temporarily obliged peasants appeared, who were forced to work out their right to be free from serfdom. After the introduction of the labor system in 1882, the former system actually continued to exist, because the redemption amount was unbearable for an ordinary peasant, even with a loan from the state.