Contemporary Rural Response to Reform from Above

In an analysis of Russian attempts at agrarian reform in the 1990s & their impact on productivity, this study focuses on the rural household, rather than on large farms. Through focusing on actual behaviors, it is argued that change at the household level, not measurable by macroeconomic data, h...

Full description

Saved in:
Bibliographic Details
Published in:The Russian review (Stanford) 2004-04, Vol.63 (2), p.256-276
Main Authors: O'Brien, David J, Wegren, Stephen K, Patsiorkovski, Valeri V
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Agrarian Structures
Agricultural Development
Cultural Capital
Households
Human Capital
Land Reform
Russia
Online Access:Get full text
Tags: Add Tag
No Tags, Be the first to tag this record!
Description
Summary:In an analysis of Russian attempts at agrarian reform in the 1990s & their impact on productivity, this study focuses on the rural household, rather than on large farms. Through focusing on actual behaviors, it is argued that change at the household level, not measurable by macroeconomic data, has taken place. Subtle & innovative adaptations made by rural households were detected through seven sample surveys of rural households conducted 1991-2001 in the Rostov & Belgorod oblasts & the village of Tver' oblast. The most comprehensive survey, conducted in 2001, gathered data from 800 rural households in Belgorod, Novgorod, & Volgograd oblasts, Krasnodar krai, & the Chuvash Republic. It is concluded that members of rural households have sought to increase their human & social capital through highly sensitive ties developed during the Soviet era that have led to penetration of niche markets rather than simple household subsistence. The greatest opportunities & challenges have been experienced in employment, land relations, food production, & sales, all of which are investigated. Responses to these challenges have resulted in an increasing differential between households. 4 Tables, 4 Figures. L. A. Hoffman
ISSN:0036-0341