Potato Riots

The "Potato Riots", were the mass anti-serfdom motion of "udelnye krestyane" (local peasants) (1834) and state peasants (1840 - 44) in Russia. The reason for rebellion was enforced measures, by means of which were introduced sowings of potato. The government selected the best fertile sections for potato from peasant lands. Authorities enforced brutal punishments for the nonfulfillment of the orders and assessed different requisitions. In 1834 unrest flared up in Vyatsky and Vladimir provinces, but the widest spread motion began among the state peasants in 1840-44. Riots appeared simultaneously and they were partly an answer to Kiselev reforms of state villages (1837 - 41). In the provinces of Priuralya and the lower Volga Region more than 500,000 peasants rose up destroying sowings of potatoes, and thrashing officials. They arbitrarily re-elected wardens, and attacked punitive detachments with weapons. Together with the Russians in riots participated Mari population, also Chuvashes, Udmurts, Tatars, and Komi. Government threw troops to the suppression of riots. In a number of places peasants were shot. Thousands of rebels were convicted, and exiled into Siberia or drafted as soldiers.