Peasantry Quotes
Zenzinov was often a critic of the Bolsheviks.
This was the hope and expectation of many left-wing supporters of the Russian Revolution throughout the world. The dream was never realized until Communist Russia collapsed in the latter years of the 20th century.
Russia, under the Czars, controlled Moldova and part of Romania. In those area the upper and middle class was educated in Russian schools and most became assimilated. However, the Czars saw education of the their feudal peasants as anathema (not unlike the American Slaveowners were opposed to educating slaves). As a result, the Romanian peasants never became Russified.
Vladimir Lenin. Most did not and the Communist government was brutal and murderous in forcing them into the Communist culture, outlook, and behavior. See {640096} for a description of some of the effort.
He was intensely fascinated by mechanics so he joined the Russian Army where he received education and training, and became one of the great military inventors and engineers of all time.
Cities operated on an entirely different plane than the rural countryside which was divided up and given to nobles and the peasants on the land were serfs—virtual slaves to the noble. Cities allowed more equality, opportunity, freedom, modernity, and education. However, serfs would vote with their feet and move into cities leaving the princes devoid of their surf labor. The Emperor tried to stave off this trend by preventing the cities from admitting the surfs who were otherwise generally welcome as they, like immigrants classically provided an excellent source of compliant, low cost labor. Ironically, there are third world countries who even in modern times are trying to restrict the immigration of peasants to the cities.
