Generate QR code
Open Access
Subscription Access
Peasants and large agribusinesses attitudes to land
https://doi.org/10.32609/0042-8736-2026-2-145-158
Abstract
The fundamental differences in the attitudes of peasants and large agribusinesses to land are argued. In the first case, they include a range of economic, mental, ethical, cultural, and other interests, as well as strategic concerns; in the second case, they are usually limited to commercial estimates and tactical considerations. The difference in these interests is rooted in the value systems that transform into the practices of land use and attitudes towards nature. This is confirmed by the results of sociological studies of rural residents’ opinions and are linked to the theory of centripetal (for peasants) and centrifugal (for large agribusiness) economic development. The numerous peasantry protects the country from the risks of losing food security in the event of the collapse of large agribusiness once the loss of benefits from land exploitation occurs, and also contributes to solving social problems. The article formulates the paradox of the use of land in the context of market relations, when, as an object of purchase and sale, it is not always subject to the market logic. We argue for the institutional support for peasants who ensure the preservation of land without external coercion. Such support serves as a compensation, by means of extra social care, for both shortcomings of the state power and the preservation of national traditions and identity. This issue becomes particularly relevant in the context of the dominance of large businesses in agricultural production and the ongoing decline of the Russian peasantry.
Keywords
land degradation,
peasants,
large agribusiness,
agricultural policy,
institutional changes,
agriculture
JEL: А13, D21, Q15.
About the Authors
A. V. Golubev
VIAPI n. a. A.A. Nikonov — branch of the FSBSI FRC AESDRA VNIIESH
Russian Federation
Russian Federation
Alexey V. Golubev.
Moscow
N. M. Svetlov
Central Economics and Mathematics Institute, RAS
Russian Federation
Russian Federation
Nikolai M. Svetlov.
Moscow
References
1. Alekseev I. A. (2021). The export of capital from Russia as a threat to the economic security of the state. In: Ensuring the economic security of Russia in modern conditions. Moscow: Moscow University of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of the Russian Federation named after V. Y. Kikot, pp. 17—21. (In Russian).
2. Barsukova S. Y. (2016). The dilemma of “farmers—agricultural holdings” in the context of import substitution. Obshchestvennye Nauki i Sovremennost, No. 5, pp. 63—74. (In Russian).
3. Bashmachnikov V. F. (2019). Farming will exist in Russia. Moscow: Pero. (In Russian).
4. Buzdalov I. N. et al. (eds.) (2000). Agrarian reform in Russia. Concepts, experience, and prospects. Moscow: Entsiklopediya Rossiyskikh Dereven. (In Russian).
5. Van der Pluug J. D. (2017). The role of Chayanovian ideas in the contemporary peasant studies, and in the art of farming. Krestyanovedenie, Vol. 2, No. 3, pp. 6—27. (In Russian). https://doi.org/10.22394/2500-1809-2017-2-3-6-27
6. Golubev A. V. (2024). Centrifugal and centripetal types of development of large agribusiness and rural local economy. Economics of Agriculture of Russia, No. 6, pp. 2—8. (In Russian). https://doi.org/10.32651/246-2
7. Zholobova S. M. (2024). The state and use of land in the Nizniy Novgorod Region and tasks of land use planning. Moscow Economic Journal, Vol. 9, No. 3, pp. 790—813. (In Russian). https://doi.org/10.55186/2413046X_2024_9_3_180
8. Kotelevskaya N. K. (2018). Analysis of current land relations and their impact on improving the efficiency of agricultural land. Vestnik Kurskoy Gosudarstvennoy Selskokhozyaystvennoy Akademii, No. 8, pp. 219—225. (In Russian).
9. Krassov O. I. (2014). Land ownership in European countries. Moscow: Norma; Infra-M. (In Russian).
10. Krylatykh E. N. et al. (1996). Improvement of land relations and methods of their regulation based on socioeconomic monitoring. Moscow: Entsiklopediya Rossiyskikh Dereven. (In Russian).
11. Makhnenko S. I., Merkel A. V. (2021). Capital export from Russia. Problems and trends. Aktualnye Nauchnye Issledovaniya v Sovremennom Mire, No. 6-2, pp. 127—130. (In Russian).
12. Nikolaev O. V., Litvina N. I., Sushentsova S. S. (2022). On the issue of economic development of rural areas of Russia. Economics, Labor, Management in Agriculture, No. 7, pp. 15—21. (In Russian). https://doi.org/10.33938/227-15
13. Nikonov A. G., Pinaeva Y. R. (2018). Institutional approach to the development of rental relations in the agrarian sector. Russian Electronic Scientific Journal, No. 4, pp. 101—118. (In Russian). https://doi.org/10.31563/2308-9644-2018-30-4-101-118.
14. Nikonova G. N., Dzhabrailova B. S., Nikonov A. G. (2020). Territorial features of the land market in rural areas. Agricultural Science Euro-North-East, Vol. 21, No. 6, pp. 786—796. (In Russian). https://doi.org/10.30766/2072-9081.2020.21.6.786-796
15. Petrikov A. V. (2007). Multifunctionality of agriculture: Theoretical and political aspects. AIC: Economics, Management, No. 12, pp. 2—5. (In Russian).
16. Petrikov A. V. (2008). A. V. Chayanov’s creative legacy and directions for improving modern agrarian policy. Economy of Agricultural and Processing Enterprises, No. 7, pp. 10—13. (In Russian).
17. Petrikov A. V., Golubev A. V., Gataulina E. A., Salnikov S. G., Yakovlev L. S., Kholodov O. A. (2024). Problems of socio-economic development of rural areas (based on research in the Rostov Region). Moscow: Entsiklopediya Rossiyskikh Dereven. (In Russian).
18. Polanyi K. (2002). The great transformation: The political and economic origins of our time. St. Petersburg: Aleteiya. (In Russian).
19. Polunin G. A., Titkov A. A. (2024). Supply and demand in the agricultural land lease market. AIC: Economics, Management, No. 8, pp. 66—73. (In Russian). https://doi.org/10.33305/248-66
20. RAS (2023). Land potential of Russia: Status, problems, and measures for its rational use and protection. Analytical Note. Moscow. (In Russian).
21. Rosstat (2022). Main results of the 2021 agricultural microcensus. Statistical compendium. Moscow: Statistika Rossii. (In Russian).
22. Svetlov N. M. (2004). Management of an agricultural enterprise in the context of a low land price. Economics of Agriculture of Russia, No. 8, p. 15. (In Russian).
23. Svetlov N. M. (2023). Land value is a key to rural development. Economics, Labor, Management in Agriculture, No. 9, pp. 75—85. (In Russian). https://doi.org/10.33938/239-75
24. Svetlov N. M., Golubev A. V. (2025). Opportunities for intermediate technologies in Russian regional agriculture. AlterEconomics, Vol. 22, No. 3, pp. 442—456. (In Russian). https://doi.org/10.31063/AlterEconomics/2025.22-3.4
25. Strokov A. S., Makarov O. A., Svetlov N. M., Loginova D. A. (2019). Using land resources in agriculture of Belgorod Oblast. Ekonomika Regiona, Vol. 15, No. 3, pp. 893—907. (In Russian). https://doi.org/10.17059/2019-3-20.
26. Uzun V. Y. (ed.) (1998). Reforming agricultural enterprises: Social and economic analysis (1994—1997). Moscow: Znak. (In Russian).
27. Uzun V. Y. (ed.) (1999). Social and economic analysis of the results of agricultural enterprises reorganization. Moscow: Entsiklopediya Rossiyskikh Dereven. (In Russian).
28. Uzun V. Y., Shagaida N. I. (2015). Agrarian reform in post-Soviet Russia: Mechanisms and results. Moscow: Delo. (In Russian).
29. Uzun V. Y., Shagaida N. I., Gataulina E. A., Shishkina E. A. (2022). Holdingization of Russia’s agribusiness. Moscow: Delo. (In Russian).
30. Ustyuzhanina E. V., Petrov A. G. (eds.) (2023). Social and structural factors of modern innovative development. Moscow: Rusains. (In Russian).
31. Fadeeva O. P. (2018). Sketches for the farm project: An Altai palette. Krestyanovedenie, Vol. 3, No. 1, pp. 141—173. (In Russian). https://doi.org/10.22394/2500-1809-2018-3-1-141-173
32. Khlystun V. N. et al. (2020). Legal aspects of involving unused and unclaimed agricultural lands in economic circulation. Moscow: GUZ. (In Russian).
33. Shagaida N. I., Ternovsky D. S., Shishkina E. A., Elanskaya A. A. (2025). Integral indicators of food security: From the country level to the household. Voprosy Ekonomiki, No. 8, pp. 44—69. (In Russian). https://doi.org/10.32609/0042-8736-2025-8-44-69
34. Chuprov A. I. (1918). Small-scale farming and its basic needs. 4th ed. Moscow: Tipo-litografiya Tovarishchestva I. N. Kushnerev & Co. (In Russian).
35. Barsukova S. (2017). Agricultural policy in Russia. Social Sciences, Vol. 48, No. 4, pp. 3—18. https://doi.org/10.21557/SSC.50041056
36. Golubev A. V., Butyrin V. V., Smoleninova N. A. (2021). Digitalization in agroeconomics as a means of diffusion of innovations. In: A. V. Bogoviz (ed.). The challenge of sustainability in agricultural systems. Cham: Springer, pр. 605—613. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-73097-0_68
37. Kurakin A. A., Niederle P. A. (2024). Peasant identities in Brazil and Russia. Universe of Russia, Vol. 33, No. 1, pp. 187—209. https://doi.org/10.17323/1811-038X-2024-33-1-187-209
38. Lerman Z., Shagaida N. (2007). Land policies and agricultural land markets in Russia. Land Use Policy, Vol. 24, No. 1, pp. 14—23. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.landusepol.2006.02.001
39. Smiley D. H. (1995). Can labor—capital models predict the responses of agrarian societies to development? Part I: Problems with development economics. American Journal of Economics and Sociology, Vol. 54, No. 4, pp. 489—501. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1536-7150.1995.tb03254.x
40. Summers G. F. (1986). Rural community development. Annual Review of Sociology, Vol. 12, pp. 347—371. https://doi.org/10.1146/annurev.so.12.080186.002023
41. Tschajanow A. (1923). Die Lehre von der bäuerlichen Wirtschaft. Versuch einer Theorie der Familienwirtschaft im Landbau. Berlin: P. Parey.
Review
For citations:
Golubev A.V., Svetlov N.M. Peasants and large agribusinesses attitudes to land. Voprosy Ekonomiki. 2026;(2):145-158. (In Russ.) https://doi.org/10.32609/0042-8736-2026-2-145-158
Views:
355
JATS XML
Email this article 