The rural community in Belarus after the abolition of serfdom

Authors

Keywords:

peasantry, rural society, peasant community, rural assembly, village headman, public opinion
Supporting Agencies
The author expresses gratitude to the doctor of science (history), professor dean of the faculty of history of the Belarusian State University Aliaksandr G. Kakhanouski for help during the writing of the article.

Abstract

The article explores the creation and the functioning of rural societies in Belarus after the abolition of serfdom. Considerable focus is given to the definition of differences between the terms «rural society» and «peasant community». Territorial differences in the activities of rural societies in Belarus are noted and their formal and informal structure is highlighted. The object of the study is the peasantry of Belarus in the second half of the 19th – early 20th century. The subject of the study is the regularities and features of creation and existence of rural communities in Belarus in the post-reform period. The choice of the object and subject of the study is determined by the importance of peasantry in the population structure and the principal role of peasantry in the processes of social transformation and modernisation in Belarus in the 1860–90s. The goals of the study are to determine the roles and functions of rural society in Belarus after the abolition of serfdom by identifying the differences between the terms «society» and «community»; to investigate the official structure of rural society in Belarus; and to depict the informal influence of society and public opinion on peasant life.

Author Biography

  • Anna I. Maskevich, Belarusian State University, 4 Niezaliežnasci Avenue, Minsk 220030, Belarus

    PhD (history), docent; associate professor at the department of modern and contemporary history of Belarus, faculty of history

References

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Published

2021-02-16

Issue

No. 1 (2021): Journal of the Belarusian State University. History

Section

Special Topic Section

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How to Cite

[1]
Maskevich, A.I. 2021. The rural community in Belarus after the abolition of serfdom. Journal of the Belarusian State University. History. 1 (Feb. 2021), 15–25. DOI:https://doi.org/10.33581/2520-6338-2021-1-15-25.