Weekly national intelligencer. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1841-1869, 1852-07-17
NATIONAL INTELLIGENCER.
SOCIALISM AND COMMUNISM.

II 4 e. st A u
tits generally supposed that Socialism and Com
munism are newly-inyented modes Of regenerating
society: that they are modern IDEAS testifying at
once the perpetual yearnng Of man after change in
the social state and his attempts towards its per-
fiction Il is not generally known that this sovereign
remedy for all social ills is extensively practised and
ia already some centuries old in one of the oldest
and perhaps the least progressive of the countries of
Europe-Russia. Arguments, to be sure, are not
wanting to show theoretically that socialism and
communism are in their very nature opposed to
liberty and social progress among people; but
practical illustration is more convincing than theo
retic argument Let such, then, as are inclined to
adopt socialism and communism the means of pro-
melting the well-being of modern society, ask them
selves if they are wiling to take Russia as model;
if they are willing to advance Russia is adyanc
ing toward civil, political, and social perfection
The followiag account of socialism and communism
in Russia is evidently prepared by friendly hand
but it furnishes conclusive evidence that the boast
ed remedy, so far from healing social evils and
promoting healthful vigorous action Of the social
energies, producing ameioration and progress, has
just the opposite effect; that it produces com
plete stagnation Of those energies, and maintains q
life that's only just not death. - ~
Thefacts are drawn, as follows, by correspon-
dent at Paris, from the works on Russia published
by GEORGE, ERDMAN, and DE HARTHAUsEN
The Russian Peasant not formerly now, the Ser
Of the Lord but simply the Farmer of his lands Ser
dom existed only for the descendants of former pr
of war, who composed the class of Do
opfa he uho Mt of fha dis
tricts free St. Georges Day quit the domain
which had been farmed out to him, and which he had
cultivated Tor year. and go and reside any part Of
the empire he pleased. This privilege of continual
change Of residence alarming the Suzans to the in
terests Of agriculture afterwards limited by
ordinances which, though recognising the right of the
aborer quit lord for another prohibited him from
moving into another principaity.
When the feuda system destroyed in Russia by the
sword of the Tartars and under the supremacy of the
princes of Moscow, the regulations made by the great
private Sarerans fell with themselves.
The peregrinaons of the peasants recommended then
with more ardor than ever and the population migrated
in towards the navgabe rivers and streams which
afforded greater facilities for market On the 2lst No
vember 1901 the Gar BORIS GoDANNoFF issued ukase
aboshing forever the right Of change of residence and
confined the peasants to the gebe in which they v
ing on the last day of the jouriet.
Placed from this time under the sovereignty of the
lords the peasants remained nevertheless personally
free was not until the reign of Peter that they be-
came veritabe sers de ac and then the servtude
was not established by any positive law
From this epoch the lord regarded the peasant his
personal property, and made all the profit out of him
which he could Sometimes he established the corree
orced labor the estate but generally he ceded
lands to his serfs in consideration of certain cash
HE Lib. L.
lord himself less onerous, according the
cupdty injustice of the proprietor. This system Of
impost visited collectively the whole population Of
domain, engendered and developed communal organi-
zation.
The united inhabitants of immortal estate constituted
little republic administered by themselves and having
obligation except that of paying the o5rok or colec-
tive rent.
The Russian commune at first association purely
agrcultural but when Peter l. introduced European in
dusry into his empire both sovereign and lords appro-
prated whole villages to particular branches Of manufac
ture and thus laid the foundation of the Industrial
mune We propose to examine these different communes
in turn.
The most important and interesting is beyond doubt
the rural commune This remarkable political instu-
ton based upon this great principle Scavonc law
the ndiysby Of the family estate and the division of
the usufruct.
Whether the be free and possess property in
whether the tenure be less limited as in the
domains of the Crown and in the immortal possessions
the landed property is considered belonging the
community at large and not to the respective members
who cultivate It,
This idea Of possession common to all people of Scla
vonic origin exists intact and in its primitive state
to the present day. certain parts Of Serva Croatia and
Sclavonia, where according NJ HARTHAUsES the land
is not divided but remains under the supervision Of
the old inhabitants of the village, who divide and dist
butte the Aggregate product of the harvest.
In the Russian commune the spirit Of communism is
not carried 30 far The land there divided and every
male nhabant has the right TO claim for his share the
usuruct of quantity equal to that Of the other members
And In order that this equality may always continue the
general division Of the land takes place regularly at GER
tain stated periods
At the end of q certain number of years the Russian
Government causes census to be taken of the whole
population Of the empire for the purpose Of ascerainng
the exact number Of inhabitants liable personal taxa
ton and military service The year when this census is
taken s by Law the year for dividing the lands Of the
This division is conducted as follows:
Each has its land surveyors persons expe-
rience and integrity, who commence by preparing an
exact statement Of the quantity Of land be divided
This operation finished they estimate the different parts
OF which it is composed, according to their fertility and
their products and then divide them into many lots
there single claimants in the community so that
every one has, not equal quantity Of land but guam
tity proporoned to its intrinsic value This apportion-
has hitherto prevailed that IL hardly happens that
any ono s dissatisfied For the rest reserved portion
Of land always set aside to meet any reclamation which
may afterwards be made and the death Of any member
his part Is added to this reserve
This continual partition peculiar to the