obshchina

The obshchina, also known as the mir, was a self-governing Russian peasant community that held communal control over land and elected its own officials. This institution was ancient and played a significant role in Russian history, particularly after the abolition of serfdom in 1861.12

The obshchina was responsible for redistributing arable land among households based on size and for collecting taxes on behalf of the government. While economically inefficient, the government favored it due to the commune's collective responsibility for tax payments. It was also supported by conservatives who saw it as a preserver of national values and by some revolutionaries who viewed it as a foundation for a socialist future. Despite reforms aimed at encouraging private land ownership, the peasantry largely reverted to communal landholding after the 1917 Revolution.21