- Project Runeberg -  In the Land of Tolstoi /
260

(1897) [MARC] Author: Jonas Jonsson Stadling Translator: Will Reason With: Gerda Tirén, Johan Tirén - Tema: Russia
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other juridical apparatus, of which the peasant has a
wholesome horror. The principles on which they act are the strong
convictions of all; the application to special cases is made by
their conscience and common-sense.

The principle they follow in relation to the land has been
mentioned. Equally unconventional and practical are those
that relate to inheritance and property in general. Although
kinship is with them a most sacred tie, it is not of itself a
sufficient claim to inheritance; work only can assure this. If
an adopted son has taken his share of the family labour for a
sufficiently long time—ten years or so—he enjoys equal rights
with his foster-brothers, while a son by birth loses these if he
separates himself from the family. Neither blood-relationship
nor the “will” of the deceased can be effectually pleaded before
these village judges against the stronger claim of co-labour,
though, of course, all this is in complete contradiction to the law of
the land as understood by the official world. It is interesting to
note that a man only inherits his wife’s property after about
ten years of labour-partnership; otherwise it reverts to her
own family. The Russian State law also limits the share of a
woman considerably, but the mir-practice recognises no
difference in this respect.

The same principle is seen in operation in many directions.
If, for example, one man sows a part of another’s land, the
matter is not settled by the whole becoming the property of the
latter, as would happen under State law. If it is a genuine
mistake, the man who has sown the seed reaps the harvest,
paying the other rent for the land and a little more; if done
intentionally, the owner reaps the harvest, but pays the other
for the seed.

According to peasant conception, the authority of the
mir extends to all matters concerning the life of its
members; hence it frequently acts in direct contravention of
both State and Church law. It has sometimes happened that
entire communities have decided to adopt a new religion.
At other times they have used their common-sense and
declared a man and wife who are manifestly unfitted for
each other to be no longer man and wife, and treat them

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