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perform on the lands of the manor； were advantages far too
precious to be easily abandoned。 It was； and it still is； for the
interests of the national treasury that these divisions should
not take place。 It is for this reason that the Government；
concealing its real designs under a show of good…will towards an
old and venerable institution； has recently taken measures to
prevent further divisions。 It is no longer with the majority that
the decision is to rest in questions of this kind； but with the
chief of the household； a person who is； of course； as a rule；
interested in the maintenance of non…division。
The reasons which are brought forward by the peasants to
justify their breaking up of Undivided Households are generally
the following： Non…division； they say； causes the able and
laborious to work for the idle and incapable。 It is unjust to
force an unmarried person to divide his savings with a relative
enjoying the pleasures of married life and a numerous progeny；
who； on account of their youth； are not yet able to earn anything
by the work of their hands。 They also affirm that； as the
dwelling…place is too small to accommodate a large family； they
are forced to divide in order to live with decency。
It is also often said that disputes among the women are the
direct cause of separation； while； again； some peasants frankly
avow that they insist on leaving their communistic mode of life
in order to have their own homes and to be their own masters。（6*）
If the objections just mentioned are not those of individualism；
I do not know what individualism is。
It is in the most fertile regions of Russia in Little
Russia and New Russia that divisions have been most numerous。
in these parts small families are already the general rule； as
the black soil of those districts is rich enough to pay the taxes
that are levied； and the peasant is not alarmed by the prospect
of being deprived of the aid of his relatives。 The spirit of
independence of the Cossacks； which all those who are acquainted
with them readily acknowledge； explains to a great extent the
reason why the undivided household is dying out in the southern
and south…western parts of Russia。
The northern provinces will certainly sooner or later follow
the same path； and the patriarchal house community will disappear
in Russia； just as it has disappeared in France； Italy； and
Spain； and as it is disappearing in our days in Servia and
Croatia。 For we must not think that this system was altogether
unknown to the people of Western Europe。 Not only in Ireland；
where its previous existence had been recognised by Sir Henry
Maine； but also among the German and Latin races； the undivided
household was； a few centuries ago； a still living institution。
Guy Coquille； a legal writer of the sixteenth century； speaks of
them in the province of Nivernais； and they have recently been
discovered in the old charters of Berry。 The 〃consorteria〃 of
medieval Tuscany； the 〃genealogie〃 of the old Alemannic law； and
the still existing 〃Companias〃 of Spanish Galicia； are but
different names to designate the Undivided household。 If these
have disappeared； or are likely to disappear； in the near future；
it is because they have been forced to yield to the requirements
of individualism。 I see no reason why the same thing should not
happen in Russia。
NOTES：
1。 Charousin； 〃The Cossack Communities of the Don〃 （Moscow；
1883）； p。 74。
2。 〃The Pravda of Jaroslav〃； published by Kalachev； ss。 88； 89。
3。 This word appears； for instance； in the following sentences；
〃No political assembly of the 'siabri' ought to exist。〃 〃If any
one convenes it； let him lose his ears。〃
4。 The two novels to which I allude are； 〃The Power of the Land；〃
by Ouspensky； and 〃The Solid Base〃 （Oustoi）； by Slatovraczky。
Both novels were published in Moscow。
5。 〃L'Empire des Tzars et les Russes；〃 p。 488。
6。 Compare what M。 Dobrotvorsky says about the family in the
Government of Vladmir （Juridical Journal； Moscow； 1889； vol。 ii。
p。 283）。