Among the peasant estate of the 18-19 centuries, the most diverse groups stand out. Of particular interest are the possessive and ascribed peasants. This is a large part of the peasantry, which was officially considered the property of the state, but in fact it was subjected to cruel exploitation by the owners of factories and manufactories.
The history of the appearance of the category of ascribed peasants
The 17th century in the history of Russia is the time of the birth of the first shoots of capitalism. The reign of Aleksei Mikhailovich includes the appearance of manufactories, including mining in the Urals. Associated with this fact is the emergence of such a concept as ascribed peasants. This is explained by the need to use workers in new enterprises under the conditions of serfdom that had just finally taken shape (in 1649). The entire peasantry of that period was divided into two large groups: serfs and black-mowed (state).
The former could not be freely hired, the latter were reluctant to go to mining works due to the severity of labor. In conditions of severe labor shortages, entrepreneurs turned to the state for help. The latter began to attribute state-owned peasants to the factories with the condition that the breeders would pay for them a capitation fee and a quitrent. In the future, the practice of attribution spread to state-owned factories.
The situation of peasants assigned to factories
Initially, the work of peasants assigned to the factories was considered as corvée — that is, temporary assistance in auxiliary factory work, such as: carrying firewood, coal, ore, and iron. It was believed that the peasants would have to work out the amount that the breeders would pay the state to pay off their taxes. But gradually everything changed. The factory administration more and more attracted peasants to work out, many of them became miners. These additional work was paid, but at a minimum.
Ascribed peasants under Peter 1 began to receive uniform payments throughout Russia for labor in factories during the summer field work. A peasant with a horse - 10 kopecks, and a horseless - 5 kopecks. But, as is usual in Russia, laws are not always enforced. And since it was necessary to work out a fee for each “male soul”, an adult family member could work at the factory for a whole year for an old father, young sons. Over time, the administration of the factories secured the right to punish workers subject to them. Ascribed peasants took this as enslavement. There are still many written sources complaining of breeders, and a more significant argument is their participation in anti-government movements, especially in the uprising of Emelyan Pugachev. Thus, the position of the peasants assigned to the plant can be equated to a serfdom.
Possessive peasants
Since 1649, the monopoly of nobles and boyars on the ownership of peasants, including the possibility of their sale, was fixed. But Peter 1 was faced with the need to help the nascent bourgeoisie in resolving the issue of labor for their factories. Therefore, in 1721, a law was passed that allowed peasants to buy non-noblemen who set up their private enterprises for manufactories. This social group has received the name of peasants. They could not be sold or mortgaged separately from the plant and their labor was used for outside work. Thus, the feudal state solved the problem of labor shortages for young Russian industry. So, in the 18th century, ascribed peasants are not possessive. In the future, the ratio of terms changes.
Ascribed and Possessive Peasants in the 19th Century
By the end of the 18th century, the government stopped the practice of attributing state peasants to factories . This was due to constant unrest in the Urals and complaints about the owners. In 1807, Alexander I took a step towards the elimination of this group of peasants. Most of them were exempted from compulsory work in favor of the plant, and the necessary minimum remained to ensure continuous operation. Unfortunately, this provision applied only to the Urals. In accordance with the provision of 1807, the term "ascribed peasants" disappears. This, however, did not mean an end to the exploitation of peasants in factories completely. A limited number of peasants who remained subordinate to the breeders began to be called "indispensable workers." They officially began to be equated with the sessional peasants. Only after the abolition of serfdom, the Ural industry and other factories were forced to move to civilian labor.
Some statistics
For the first time, the fact that peasants were registered with factories dates back to 1633, and in quantitative terms there were a little more than three hundred people. Most actively, this process proceeded in the first half of the 18th century, after the modernization of Peter. By the end of the 18th century, this category totaled more than 312 thousand people. After the reform of 1861, more than 170 thousand post-peasant peasants received the will from the Tsar Liberator.