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concerning military service； and to the carrying out of the
different orders issued by the local and provincial authorities。
As to the duties which the domachin has to perform in
connection with the interior administration of the household；
they are of two different kinds： they concern either the persons
who compose the house community； or the undivided property owned
by them。 All disputes arising between co…partners are settled by
the house…elder； who is regularly assisted in such cases by the
family council。 His interference in the relations between husband
and wife； between parents and children； sometimes exerts a highly
beneficial influence； in so far as it prevents cases of gross
abuse in the exercise of marital and paternal power； but it often
happens on the other hand that disputes between married couples
are embittered by the partiality of the house…elder for one or
other party。 On more than one occasion husbands have been known
to inflict severe punishment on their wives because they were
ordered to do so by the head of the community； instances； too；
are very frequent in which the wife； encouraged by the support of
the house…elder； disregards the rights of her husband； and lives
in almost open adultery with the person whose chief duty ought to
consist in the maintenance of a high moral standard amongst the
persons over whom he exercises authority。
The house…elder has also； if not a casting vote； at least a
consultative voice in such matters as the choice of a wife； or
the giving of a daughter in marriage。 As the amount of the dowry
is always fixed by the family council； presided over by its
chief； his decision very often settles the question as to the
acceptance or refusal of the offer of marriage。 It is also the
duty of the house…elder to find occupation for the unemployed
members of the household。 If the community is too large to allow
of all its members being employed in agricultural labour； the
family finds it advantageous to permit a certain number of its
members to seek their fortunes abroad； either in private service
or as small traders or pedlars； travelling about the country with
packs on their backs。 Such petty hawkers； verv numerous in our
Eastern provinces； are known in Russia under the various names of
〃ofeni；〃 〃chodebocschiki；〃 〃korobhniki；〃 and 〃prosoli。〃 They
render a real service to the country population； which； at least
in places far distant from railways and markets； would without
them have no means of procuring the most simple necessaries of
life。
Young orphans find in the person of the house…elder their
legal guardian； their moral and mental education depends solely
on him； it is be who sends them to school； finds employment for
them in the fields； or apprentices them to the different village
artisans to learn a trade by which to earn a future livelihood。
As the administration of the family fortune； as I have
already said； falls on the house…elder； he makes all arrangements
that are needful to secure that every kind of agricultural labour
shall be properly done； assigning to each his daily share in the
ploughing； harrowing； and sowing of the fields； thrashing of the
corn； and such like occupations。 If the number of hands of which
the family can dispose is not sufficient to answer all its
requirements； he hires others to help them。 When the time comes
for the exchange of harvest produce for such articles as the
peasants may need； it is again the business of the house…elder to
sign contracts of sale or exchange。 Those under his charge have
in such cases the right to control actions and to demand a full
account of all the moneys received or paid by him。 This control
is particularly useful on those somewhat rare occasions when； in
consequence of a series of bad harvests； the family is obliged to
dispose of a part of its estate。 On such occasions the whole
family has a voice in the selection of the purchases。 Their
unanimous consent； plainly expressed in the act of sale； is
necessary in order to render it legal。
The resources by which the family provides for all its
requirements are of different kinds： some are derived from the
lands it owns； others from the private earnings of its members。
Widely separated though some of its members may be from the
family； the travelling pedlar； the labourer who has hired himself
out on some distant farm； the soldier and sailor fighting in some
foreign country or sailing to some distant land； nevertheless
they all look upon it a duty to allow their family to share in
their earnings。 On its part the House Community does not object
to maintain the wife and children of an absent member； or to pay
the amount of his yearly taxes。 The communistic character of the
great Russian family is shown by the ease with which the
household gets its members who are temporarily separated from it
to pay over to it the gains which they make。 These； as a rule；
make no claim to keep their earnings for themselves。 The peculium
castrense and quasi castrense； formerly known to the ancient
Romans； appear still to exist among the members of the Russian
house communities of the present day。 if a movement in favour of
the establishment of private property can be detected it is only
in the private earnings made by the women and girls in their
leisure hours。 These earnings accumulated hour by hour and day by
day form； as a rule； the principal part of the future dowry； the
father and mother making but a small addition to the sum got
together by the industry and thrift of a maiden who for many
years has been preparing for her marriage。 The Undivided
Household of Great Russia may in this respect be compared to the
house community of India； for it also secures to an unmarried
woman the right of providing a peculium apart； a sort of
independent fortune； the so…called 〃stridhana；〃 by the
accumulation of the small savings she regularly makes by needle
work。
Now that I have traced； though only in its general outlines；
that peculiar institution known in Russia under the rather vague
term of 〃The Great Family；〃 let me call your attention to the
advantages and disadvantages which this institution presents。 Its
great merit certainly consists in the fact that it develops to a
far larger extent than the small families of our days the feeling
of mutual dependence and joint relationship without which no
system of social reform can have any chance of success。
Possessing as they do no other but common property and having an
equal share in all the material enjoyments of fortune； the
members of these communistic bodies escape from the disheartening
influence of economic competition。
The conditions of this existence necessarily develop in them
all the consciousness of mutual responsibility； and the
conviction that without reliance on one another they cannot
overcome the dangers and difficulties of life。 It would be a
study of high psychological interest to analyse the character of
a people which had grown up under such conditions； and to show
how far the inborn selfish instincts of man have been moderated
by the softening influence of a state of society which； to a
certain ex