The Economics of the Russian Village

by Isaac A. Hourwich

Districts.	Farmers buying rye and flour.		To the amount of rubles.	Deficit of farming in the district (rubles).
	Number.	Percentage to the population.
Korotoyak	3,368	16	31,481	42,310
Nizhnedevitzk	7,238	36	84,473	70,103

Ibid., Vol. V., part I., p. 107, columns 89, 92, 93; Vol. VI., part I., p. 145, col. 151, 154, 155. The quantity of bread consumed by a peasant family in a year amounting to 57 poods upon an average (l. c., vol. IV., part I., p. 97, col. 75-76, total), the deficit of bread in a year of ordinary crops figures as follows:

Districts.	Households buying bread, per cent.	Deficit of bread, per cent.
Ostrogozhsk	58	54
Zadonsk	41	44

(Ibid., Vol. II., part I., p. 223, col. 58, 59; Vol. IV., part I., p. 97, col. 77-82.)

[39] Cf. Statistical Reports for Borisoglebsk District, Gubernia of Tamboff, Appendix, pp. 86-87. Every budget was made out upon the statement of the householder, in the presence of his neighbors, who were thoroughly cognizant of the income and expenses of the house; the data are therefore perfectly trustworthy. (Ibid., and also page 28.) The budgets are produced in full in the Appendix below.

[40] 1 ruble in gold = $0.80. Still there is no gold in circulation in Russia. The paper ruble, since the Turkish war of 1877-78, is worth only 60 per cent. of its nominal value, i. e., 1.00 paper ruble = $0.50. The purchasing power of one ruble is however equal to that of one dollar in New York.

[41]

CONSUMPTION.

Householders in the gubernia of Tamboff.	Rubles.		Per cent.
	Own produce.	Market produce.	Own produce.	Market produce.
Gabriel Trupoff	309.00	166.71	65	35
Kosma Abramoff	586.80	416.45	59	41

Taxes and rents are not included. Should we count all expenses, the figures would look as follows: