Working on the corvée, the peasants had to. Corvee and quitrent - what is it and how do they differ: what does monetary and natural rent look like, how is corvée economy characterized

Corvee and dues are types of political and economic dependence of peasants on feudal lords that existed in Russia from the earliest times and during the heyday of feudalism.

The main difference between quitrent and corvee is that quitrent is the payment of tax in money or goods, and corvée is the payment of tax by one's own labor on the lands of the feudal lord.

With the development of feudalism in Russia, rather close relations were established between the owners of the land (feudal lords) and the people who lived on this land (peasants). Those who could not buy their own land were forced to work on the land that belonged to the feudal lord, and, therefore, this land had to be paid somehow. A similar situation developed among the princes with the tribes and communities they captured, who were forced to pay tribute to the state treasury for the right to continue living on their own lands. People who became dependent on their master (feudal lord or prince) had to constantly provide a certain ransom, a tax. Tribute was levied initially in the form of goods or products that went to the master's table or were sold on the market, and then in cash.

With the development of statehood, the tax took on a different form - corvee, that is, working off, physical labor in favor of the owner instead of paying monetary or food tribute. First, the corvee was reduced to three days (decree of 1797), so that the feudal lords could not use the peasants as free labor, and only then was canceled.

quitrent

This concept has several definitions. For the first time this term is mentioned in connection with the collection of taxes in the earliest period of Ancient Russia. At that time, quitrent meant almost any tribute collected by princes from people subordinate to them in the form of money, food or goods. Later, dues began to be understood as a type of duty of peasants to the feudal lords, which consisted in paying tribute to the landowner in food or money. Monetary dues remained in Russia until 1863, and food dues were abolished by the reform of 1861.

The ancients understood the concept of quitrent in the same way as we perceive the word “rent” today, that is, a fixed-term or perpetual right to use property that follows from a lease agreement. Since the peasants at the dawn of feudalism were considered in fact a thing, the property of the feudal lord, it was normal to give someone "for rent", that is, for rent, entire villages along with the people living there.

Starting from the 16th century. quitrent is used in the sense of the state tax, which was paid to the state treasury by land owners. The quitrent was also paid by the peasants to their landowner for the fact that he gave them the right to live and work on his land, as well as grow vegetables and feed. The quitrent was paid in money or goods, it was also possible to work off the quitrent by labor. Later corvee began to form from this tradition.

Corvee

Corvee is the work of a serf in favor of the feudal lord on his land in payment of the rent of the plot on which the peasant works to feed his family.

Corvee became widespread in the 16th century. and existed until the 19th century, and in some territories until the 20th century. - as one of the forms of the developed system after the abolition of serfdom.

Corvee came to replace quitrent. The peasants, who received certain allotments from the feudal lord and could live there and grow their own vegetables for food, were not always able to pay the feudal tribute in goods or money, otherwise they themselves would have nothing to feed themselves. In this regard, more and more often the feudal lords allowed their serfs to earn dues by labor.

The corvee had several basic principles. Firstly, the corvee was charged exclusively by physical labor, and not by goods. This work could be the most diverse: work on the land, fishing, hunting and much more. Secondly, corvée was obligatory, no one was exempt from it, and it served as a kind of form of payment of rent for land. Thirdly, it was absolutely free labor in favor of the feudal lord: a peasant could work on the land of his master for several weeks, but not get anything for it.

Corvee, in contrast to quitrent, turned out to be a more tenacious system and lasted a long time. Often these two types of duty were combined.

The end of corvée and dues

Corvée and dues in Russia, although they actively fought against them and considered them a relic of feudalism, existed for a long time, until the 19th century. This was facilitated by the economic state of the country: feudalism did not allow the regional economy to develop in the right way, the peasants did not have money, so they were forced to depend on richer people, paying those rents either in goods or in work. Despite the abolition of serfdom, it took several decades to finally destroy the feudal system and rebuild the economy.

Wikipedia explains that corvée is unpaid forced labor on the land of a landowner, carried out by a peasant in predetermined volumes for a certain period of time using his tools and tools.

The time frame for the prevalence of this phenomenon includes the 16th - 19th centuries, although references to this type of duty were recorded in written sources from different countries in an earlier period.

The phenomenon flourished most in Russia and European countries in the period from the 15th to the 18th centuries. Its defining essence is free work performed by peasants in favor of the feudal lords in exchange for the provision of land for personal use, without the right to receive remuneration.

In fact, the peasants could take only a part of the grown crop for themselves, a significant share of it went to the landowner. The term of work for the master was calculated in days, months, in some cases even decades.

The concept of “corvée” is inextricably linked with the development of the serf system; it cannot be attributed to free labor activity performed by agreement of the parties, but it is not classified as slavery either. The slaves were deprived of personal freedom, and the peasants dependent on the landlords had free time to solve life problems, improve their homes, run a subsidiary farm, and had the right to their own tools and personal belongings.

Note! Corvee became one of the forms of feudal rent; in addition, there was food and cash rent.

A special place in the system of labor duties was occupied by field work, which was widespread in the warm season. Due to employment in the master's field, the peasant practically did not have the opportunity to process his own crops in a timely manner.

Difference from quitrent

Quit - a type of duty, which is a tax for the use of the lands of the landowner. This form of rent obliges the landowner to provide part of the crop in kind or in cash. The most common form of quitrent was the "5th sheaf" (1/5 of the harvest received was given to the landowner). In addition, the quitrent could include handicrafts and handicrafts.

In order to combat the arbitrariness of land owners, the amount of dues that the peasant was obliged to pay was legally established. For each province, the amount of payment was calculated individually. After completing the work and paying taxes, the peasant had the opportunity to work freely to maintain his well-being.

Determining the differences between working off a master and paying dues is possible after a comprehensive study of the main characteristics.

Features of corvée	Features of quitrent
Free labor activity in the lands of the landowner	Allocation of part of the crop or money from the sale of agricultural products to the budget of the landowner
The church and the state could act as a "master"	Diverse scope
The work was carried out mainly in the agricultural sector	Payment was made in advance
The amount of time for working off was determined by the owner of the land independently	This form was convenient for the nobles living in the city.
Distributed in varying degrees of intensity throughout the territory of the Russian state	Limited distribution (among the wealthy serfs and in conditions of insufficiently high yields)

Thus, it can be noted that the general difference between labor service and various payments in favor of the landowner is very significant. What is common is the parallel existence of all forms of rent in the period of the strongest serfdom.

The evolution of the concept in Russia

The first mention of the practice of corvee within the borders of the Russian state refers to the period of existence of Kievan Rus. This is the gratuitous work of serfs in large estates. "Russkaya Pravda" mentions the beginnings of corvée, which is characterized by the performance of various types of work by purchases.

During this period, the relationship between landowners and purchases was of a contractual nature: temporary employment in the master's economy was due to debts for the use of the owner's agricultural implements or the opportunity to live on the land.

In the Middle Ages, the labor of peasants was introduced on the monastic lands and the quitrent was introduced. Wage labor on arable land and meadows in exchange for remuneration from the landowner is also gaining ground. In written sources, it is noted that these works are voluntary, which means that there is no legal regulation of corvée.

With the growth of commodity-money relations in the 16th century, the corvée expanded its action, attracting new categories of peasants, forming the general mass of the dependent population. Agricultural goods were in great demand in the domestic market, the landowners were interested in increasing profits and crop areas, and as a result, in increasing the tax burden on the peasants. Passing this path of development, the corvee is already more focused on expanding trade relations and increasing the profitability of enterprises than on meeting the vital needs of the landowner.

The work was varied. These were not only labor duties associated with the processing of the lord's arable land, but also activities to keep the landlord's yard in order, construction, hay harvesting, and cattle care. As a result of the development of industrial production, it was practiced to attach entire villages to manufactories.

It is important to note! During this period, in the Russian state, by increasing the number of taxes and the growth of quitrent, a nationwide system of serfdom was being formed.

In the 17th century, there was a differentiation of types of rent in different regions of the country. It is logical that the corvee was most widespread in the black earth regions and in the central districts than in the northern and eastern regions. Corvée economy is characterized as inefficient, it was replaced by quitrent payments. State peasants were planted on a cash quitrent.

The sphere of application of forced labor is also expanding, peasants are being used to work at industrial enterprises. There were no clearly defined rules establishing the size of the corvée. The decree on a three-day corvée issued in 1797 was more of a recommendation for landowners. The practice of switching to a month was popular: in exchange for daily work, the landlord kept the serf, providing food and shelter.

The strengthening of the feudal system had a negative impact on the economic component of the peasant economy, leading to the dispossession of land and the ruin of huge peasant masses.

Peasants during the release of the manifesto on the three-day corvee

Features of managing abroad

The corvée type of farming in its classical form has not become widespread in the eastern countries. The form of labor conscription was presented in the form of attracting peasants to construction at the state level of importance:

bridges,
palaces,
irrigation.

For Western Europe, corvée is the most characteristic way of life in the patrimony:

The use of forced peasant labor has been practiced since the 8th century, its duration varied from 2 to 4 times a week.
By the XII century, in connection with the reduction of the master's economy and the transition to the domain, quitrent gradually began to displace corvée.
By the beginning of the 17th century, corvée had completely outlived its usefulness, having been preserved in the form of working off for several days a year.

Corvée in Europe

The feudal economy of France and Germany followed a similar path. People employed in corvee work had practically no right to free labor, the authorities did not worry about their well-being. It was possible to get rid of the remnants of the old system only through coup d'état and large-scale reform of the system of society and the state.

Territorially, corvee existed in the northern lands of Italy, however, the main form of rent was dues. Corvee labor in Spain did not develop intensively due to the influence of the invasion of the Arabs in the 8th century, who were not supporters of this type of service. The same situation accompanied the history of the Balkan states, which were under the rule of the Ottoman Empire. The struggle for independence from feudal fetters in Sweden, Norway and Switzerland was already over by the 14th century.

The English monarchy did not support the humiliation of the lower strata of society by the nobles, so free labor on the lands of the feudal lords was not welcomed. On the other hand, hired labor and paid obligatory work were actively spread. After the transformations carried out by Charles II in the second half of the 17th century, feudal remnants in society were completely destroyed.

During the Middle Ages, the exploitation of peasant labor was not widespread in the countries of Central and Eastern Europe, but in modern times, with the development of entrepreneurship, serfdom makes a new round, establishing corvee work as the dominant type of agricultural production. The term of working off increases, reaching in some cases almost daily. A significant reduction in labor duties occurred only by the end of the 18th century, but the remnants of the old way of life in certain territories continued to exist until the middle of the 20th century.

Useful video: traditional economy - corvée and dues

Conclusion

The abolition of serfdom in Russia in 1861 also marked the abolition of duties. A complete rejection of established forms of rent was impossible in a short period, because of this, a category of temporarily obliged peasants appeared, who were forced to work out their right to be free from serfdom. After the introduction of the labor system in 1882, the former system actually continued to exist, because the redemption amount was unbearable for an ordinary peasant, even with a loan from the state.

The way of life and relationships between people were not always the way we know them now. The ability to manage your time and your life until a certain period was not available to a large number of people. The term "corvée" came from the Middle Ages, when serfdom was the norm and commonplace. What does he mean?

What is barshchina?

The term "corvée" characterizes the peasant's free labor service in favor of the landowner (feudal lord, landowner, boyar) for the opportunity to use the master's land resources.

In the course of the work, the peasant used personal equipment. In addition to work directly on the ground, any kind of labor that was beneficial was allowed to pay off the “debt”. These could be:

Construction works.
Transport services.
Craft work.
Housework.
Fishing or hunting.

The emergence of corvée

This type of relationship, such as corvée, became widespread after quitrent as a calculation option did not live up to expectations. The peasants, for the most part, were poor, so they had nothing to pay for the use of the land. There were frequent cases when, after paying all fees, the serf's family had to starve, some of its members died. The reduction in the number of serfs was not beneficial for the landlords, so the solution was to work off the debt. The dependent worker was forced to work for nothing on the land of the feudal lord. Thus, a new type of relationship was formed - free labor service.

This type of relationship was the main driving force of agricultural production during the time of serfdom and even existed for some time after its abolition - until 1917 (in Russia). Corvee was calculated by the amount of time worked - days, weeks, months and years. Cases of replacing corvée with dues (material tribute) also occurred, but were quite rare.

Key features of corvée

Many people confuse the concepts of “corvée” and “tire” due to a similar interpretation - both of them are a duty. The main characteristics of corvee are as follows:

He was charged exclusively by physical labor. The age of the worker and his physical condition did not matter.
Labor service is obligatory for relations between a landowner and a dependent peasant.
The work that the peasant did was not paid at all. After working all day, the hard worker could come home empty-handed.
No one was exempted from labor service in the form of corvée in any way. Moreover, along with corvée, quitrent was often present - a tribute in cash or in kind.

a form of land rent, gratuitous forced labor of a dependent peasant working with his own equipment in the feudal lord's household. In Western Europe, B. spread from the Vin-IX centuries, from the XII-XIII centuries. began to be replaced by quitrents and by the XIV-XV centuries. came to naught. B. has not received wide circulation in the countries of the East. It appeared in Russia during the Kyiv domination. Widespread in European Russia in the 2nd half. XVI - 1st half of the XIX centuries. After the abolition of serfdom in 1861, it was preserved for temporarily liable peasants as a sharecropper. Canceled 1882

Great Definition

Incomplete definition ↓

CORVEE

gratuitous forced labor of a serf who works with his own inventory in the lordly (landlord) economy. Coercion of the peasant to barter demanded the greatest (in comparison with other forms of feudal rent) restriction of his personal freedom, so its widespread use was usually accompanied by the most severe forms of feudal dependence. B. spread in Western Europe from the 8th-9th centuries, from the 12th-13th centuries. began to be replaced by quitrents and by the XIV-XV centuries. came to naught. It appeared in Russia during the time of the Kievan state and spread widely in European Russia in the second half of the 16th - first half of the 19th centuries. After the abolition of serfdom in 1861, it was preserved for temporarily liable peasants as sharecropping. Canceled 1882

To understand what quitrent and corvée are, you need to delve a little into history. The fact is that the landlords had to provide the peasants with a certain piece of land for temporary use, that is, this land remained assigned to the landowner and was not the property of the peasants. In addition, the peasants had to bear certain duties until such time as a redemption transaction was carried out between him and the feudal lord. However, there was no deadline for such a buyout, so this kind of relationship from “temporary” became long-term. At the same time, the forms of duties, as well as their sizes, were established by local "Regulations".

The duties of the peasants: quitrent and corvée

These "Regulations" provided for two types of duties, among them were quitrent and corvée. The amount of dues from peasants could range from nine to twelve rubles, depending on the location of the land. The largest dues in the amount of 12 rubles were paid by the peasants who used the land near St. Petersburg. Petersburg, Moscow and Yaroslavl landowners collected quitrent from the peasants in the amount of 10 rubles. And those peasants who worked on the black earth in the Voronezh and Kursk provinces paid only 9 rubles for a shower allotment. The essence of quitrent at that time was that the peasant paid not only for the size of the land economy and non-agricultural income, but also for the right to dispose of his own labor force.

The concept of quitrent is based on some taxation of the peasant by the owner of the land plot in cash and in kind. The peasant had to pay a certain amount of money from his earnings from the land, as well as give part of the products received from the landowner's land.

Another duty was the corvée, which was preserved in the estates even after the reform. What is barshchina? Corvee is the work that serfs and temporarily liable peasants performed for the feudal lord. Depending on the per capita allotment of the peasants, the amount of corvée duty was calculated. For each land plot, men had to serve about 40 days of service, and women served 30 days of service. At the same time, the peasants were obliged to come to work with their own economic tool. It is worth noting that men aged 18 to 55, as well as women aged 17 to 50, fell under this duty.

What is corvée, history has conveyed to us in some detail. It lies in the duty of the peasants, which meant working out the master on the land. That is, the peasants had to sow, plow and mow the land of the landowner, as well as harvest for a certain period of time for the use of the land property of the master.

Now you know what corvée and dues are.