The 1920s Evolution of Peasant Family in Bashkiria: Sample Surveys Analyzed

Introduction. The article examines materials of 1920s cluster (dynamic) censuses and spring surveys of peasant farmsteads to outline the evolution of Bashkiria’s rural family (before 1922 — in Bashkiria Minor and Ufa Governorate). Goals. The work seeks to identify research possibilities of the two groups of sources in the context of historical studies of peasant family in the Bashkir ASSR. Materials and methods. The paper primarily analyzes published and archival materials — results of 1920s sample surveys of peasant households. The study employs a number of research methods, such as the statistical, descriptive, and comparative historical ones. Results. The results of spring surveys of farmsteads make it possible to delineate changes in the average size of a rural family. In particular, from 1920 to 1923 Bashkiria witnessed a sharp decrease in family size — by 0.6 people, especially in the eastern cantons of the Republic. Then, the parameter increased slightly to stay virtually static (5.1 people) to the late 1920s. As of 1926, the largest family sizes were registered in Russian farmsteads (5.4), smallest sizes — in Bashkir ones (4.8). The disastrous consequences of the Famine of 1921–1922 for the family were evidenced by the Censuses of 1920 and 1922. The two years show a significant increase in singles, small families, and a decrease in large ones. In 1920–1926, dynamic censuses in Bashkiria recorded such ‘organic’ changes in the village as splits (14.1 %), mergers (8.5), returns and repeated incorporations (13.4 %), migrations and temporary liquidations of peasant farms (36.9). These exceeded Russia’s indicators nationwide. While mainly prosperous households tended to split up, those were the poor that would merge, migrate, and even die out. The materials of 1920s sample surveys of peasant farms indicate that the majority of then villagers were poor. Conclusions. The documents show that the considered sources have a significant research potential for exploring family history in the 1920s, and may provide links between demographic and socioeconomic parameters.

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