term "seasonal workers" appeared long before this mass phenomenon has become common in the vast Russian empire.The temporary, often seasonal work provides farmers a rare opportunity to improve their financial situation and to achieve more for themselves and their families.
Seasonal workers.Determination
Compared with ordinary peasants, who lived from their land, migrant workers referred persons involved in handicraft work or sell their labor power on the side.This is a separate social stratum, which arose in the middle of the XVII century, quickly ramp up the number of its members, and for the first half of the XIX century, this phenomenon has become widespread.Peasant seasonal workers - the people who left the villages and the villages and the city of where the industry is only beginning to develop and had the opportunity to earnings in various sectors of the economy.
Who are seasonal workers?
first seasonal workers - it is the peasants who went for seasonal work in other places.Unidentified craftsmen went to the city with his unpretentious instrument and created in the ancient cities of great masterpieces of stone and wooden architecture.
Expanding the boundaries of the Russian state required constant strengthening cordons and construction of new cities and fortified settlements.Such work required constant supply of labor, which could only give peasants seasonal workers.This phenomenon is particularly evident in the construction of new cities in the northwest of the country, including the new imperial capital - St. Petersburg.
Seasonal workers in XVII-XVIII century
legal preconditions exodus of farmers from places of residence was a decree in 1718, which replaced the homestead taxation of income tax (poll tax).Taxable considered all males.Natural levies were replaced by financial obligations, and help out any amount in his native village was quite difficult.The ability to capitalize on local factories virtually non-existent - the industry was just beginning to develop, and the main impetus to economic growth given the influx of foreign capital.Equipment for the Russian factories was mainly imported, major highways serving the sea, river, road-tested trading so large enterprises arose initially only in the big cities.
work was seasonal and migrant workers regulated by internal documents - passports.Typically, such a passport was given to the farmer for the year, but there were other certificates whose validity period has been shorter.Typically, in the early spring migrant workers left the city.Had to travel thousands of kilometers, all the way migrant workers are often passed on foot.On the way these farmers often have to beg.In the city of peasant migrant workers to hire workers in the private home, to the company or perform odd jobs for a lump sum payment.
Background seasonal work in the XIX century
In the second half of the XIX century peasant reform was carried out, according to which the peasants received personal freedom.But the land on which they worked, was still in the possession of the landlords.The share of the landless peasants who were unable to feed himself or his family.On the other hand, the growth of capitalist relations gave impetus to the development of the industry, which has traditionally been concentrated in the large cities of Russia.Thus, the only possibility of earning the city remained.
Attempts to limit seasonal work
the middle of the XIX century was called a huge number of migrant workers peasants who chose urban lifestyle.In some provinces, the number of people who preferred seasonal work, reached a quarter of the adult male population.Reducing the number of farmers working the land, forced the government to accept the limitations.In order to obtain an internal document authorizing the movement in the country, the peasant had to be composed in a rural community, the right of withdrawal from the land to pay off the landlord payment of dues.However, control measures have brought only partial results.For example, after the legislative innovations in 1901 Lyubimsky District Yaroslavl province of 12715 people migrant workers had returned to the village only 849 farmers.
Stratification of society among migrant workers
economic recovery of the Russian state in the second half of the XIX century started the process of property stratification of all social strata.The richest seasonal workers - a property owners, hotels and restaurants, shops and warehouses.These representatives of the big commercial bourgeoisie takes about 5% of the total number of migrant workers.
Up to 70% were members of the new urban middle class employed in industry, manufacturing, construction and other industries.Finally, about a quarter of the total number of this category of the population were employees with allotments.These peasants seasonal work combined with the treatment of their own land.
New Life
News of earning potential seasonal workers brought to the village.This event is significant in the life of the village.Returning to his native village from distant towns, peasants and seasonal workers changed their lives and the lives of his family.The rural way of life has changed, the device's own home was more modern.The impact broke the usual foundations of the city village.Unlike the rest of the peasants migrant workers - it is almost teetotal and master craftsman, who owns his great skill.In his house seasonal workers brought from the big cities wonderful household items and even luxury - kerosene lamps, samovars, furniture, fashionable clothing, gramophones.All this is associated with local farmers with the carefree city life.For girls of the forgotten villages, it was enviable Party.By linking his life with her husband, the fair sex could hope for arranged life and high social status.
