Land relations in Russia.

摘要

The debate on land relations in Russia goes back over two centuries. Recent reforms have, it is argued, been inspired less by economic reality than by ideology, privatization being seen as a panacea. Instead, it has led to the creation of too many owners, a substantial proportion of whom do not actually work in agriculture. Land should not become a commodity for purchase and sale, which should apply only to rights of use. Revenues from land rent should go into public funds, not private pockets. Itis essential to accelerate the introduction of a single land tax, which will not only generate revenues for investment but also encourage ineffective producers to make over their land to viable enterprises. Large-scale production has proven economic advantages over smaller units as well as being traditionally well-established in Russia. Widespread adoption of smaller-scale farming, as advocated by many reformers, would require considerably more material and energy resources, which are beyond the country's means in current economic conditions. Worldwide, agriculture relies heavily on government support for survival; Russian reformers' apparent belief that the solution lies merely in changing ownership structure is erroneous.