Transformation of land relations in the Russian village during the "black redistribution" period (1917–1918)

Relevance. The study of the "black redistribution" remains exceptionally relevant, as this phenomenon represents a key moment in the agrarian history of Russia, predetermining the trajectory of development of the Soviet village and laying the foundations for subsequent socio-economic cataclysms, including forced collectivization and famine. An analysis of this period allows for a deeper understanding of the nature of the revolutionary process and the mechanisms of interaction between the government and the peasantry.The purpose of this paper is to provide a comprehensive scientific analysis of the process of land relations transformation in the Russian village in 1917–1918, identify its prerequisites, driving forces, and key stages, and assess its multifaceted and contradictory consequences for the socio-economic structure of the agricultural sector.Objectives of the study are: systematization of the historical preconditions for the "black redistribution," including an analysis of communal traditions and the failure of government agrarian reforms; reconstruction of the chronology and dynamics of the agrarian movement in 1917; An assessment of the role of the "Land Decree" as an instrument for legitimizing a spontaneous process; an analysis of the immediate and long-term consequences of land redistribution.Methodology. The article is based on the principles of historicism and systems analysis. A historical-genetic method is used to trace the origins of the agrarian question, as well as a comparative historical method to analyze the regional characteristics of the redistribution.Results. The article demonstrates that the "black redistribution" was not only an act of a spontaneous peasant movement but also an object of targeted political manipulation by the Bolsheviks. It is established that the legalization of the redistribution through the "Land Decree" allowed the new government to secure temporary support from the villages, while simultaneously laying the foundations for future statism in the agrarian sector.Conclusions. The "black redistribution" was the culmination of centuries-old peasant aspirations, but its implementation led to paradoxical results. While satisfying the "land famine" in the short term, it provoked the fragmentation of farms, the decline of agriculture, and the continuation of social tensions, thereby creating the preconditions for the further tragedy of the Russian village and the establishment of totalitarian control over agriculture.