Having estranged themselves from the workmen the communists also failed to secure the goodwill of peasants. The main object which the Bolsheviks pursued as regards the peasantry was the introduction of a communal system of cultivate ing land, as opposed to the individual system practised hitherto.
During the first year of Bolshevik rule land was proclaimed national property. The peasants were, however, left in peace for some time and they were much pleased with the Soviets which had given them the opportunity to seize al) estates and to rob the landowners of their property, money and valuables. Later on these estates were taken back little by little from the peasants by the Soviets and placed in charge of agriculturists, who, in their turn, were under constant supervision by one of the ubiquitous commissars. The result of such an administration was deplorable, the estates were ruined and became of little use to anybody since' agri cultural implements and live stock had all disappeared. The peasants became the more incensed with the Soviets as the government began ie oppress them, to~ requisition their products, cattle and horses. They were. ordered to supply certain quantities of meat, grain, hay, potatoes and many other products, although owing to the lack of agricultural implements and live stock, they were actually compelled to reduce the area under cultivation Horse-breeding, forestry, in fact the whole agricultural industry was ruined by the communistic system administration.
The peasants, who were unable to obtain anything from towns, refused to supply produce and preferred to stay in their villages, defending their right to the private ownership of land and also taking care of what property they had. They.were also often compelled to defend themselves against hungry marauders who came from the towns with a view to taking vic-trials from the villagers by force.
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.