A.V. Chayanov. Evolution of the Russian agrarian thought from 1908 to 1930: At the crossroads[А.В. Чаянов. Эволюция Аграрной Мысли В России С 1908 До 1930 Г.: На Перекрестке]

Alexander Chayanov is a well-known scientist to the generation of agronomists and economists who immediately after the Stolypin reform and before collectivization took the responsibility for rebuilding the traditional peasant economy in a new way and for creating personnel for this new agronomy. However, the name of Chayanov was almost forgotten both in the USSR and in the West. We decided to devote several pages to his memory not only because the works of Chayanov (sixty books and brochures not to mention many journal articles, dozens of studies and speeches on agronomical issues in Russia in the era of revolution) are theoretically and practically mature, but also because, as Daniel Thorner showed, the questions that Chayanov raised 30 years ago are still relevant for developing countries with the dominant peasant economy. Even in the USSR, as we see in the conclusion of the article, the problems identified by Chayanov have not been solved yet. Thus, Chayanov’s thoughts are a crossroads for meeting of historians and researchers of Slavic countries who study the development of agrarian thought in Russia in the early 20th century. Economists and sociologists will find in the Russian experience both theory of peasant economy and answers to specific questions.