Potato Riots

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"Potato Riots", the mass antiserfdom motion of udelnye krestyane (local peasants) (1834) and state peasants (1840 - 44) in Russia. The reason for rebellion was in forced measures, by means of which were introduced sowings of potato. From peasant lands government selected the best fertile sections for potato. Authorities use brutal punishments for the nonfulfillment of the orders, and assessed different requisitions. In 1834 flared up unrest in Vyatsky and Vladimir provinces, but the widest spread motion began among the state peasants into 1840 - 44. Riots appearing simultaneously and partly they was an answer to Kiselev reforms of state village (1837 - 41). Only in the provinces of Priuralya and lower Volga Region rose more than 500 thousand peasants, who destroyed sowings of potatoes, thrashed officials. They arbitrarily re-elected wardens, attacked with weapon punitive detachments. Together with the Russians in riots participated Mari population, also Chuvashs, Udmurts, Tatars, Komi. Government threw troops to the suppression of riots. In a number of places the shootings of peasants were produced. Thousands of rebels were convicted, and exiled into Siberia or drafted as soldiers.

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