CORVEES

CORVEES (forced labour), are compulsory duties performed by the population at the behest of the state or a landowner. Since ancient times, the main corvee of the Bashkirs was military service (ref. Military Service of the Bashkirs). The increase in the number of C. was one of the reasons for the Bashkir uprisings of the 17–18th centuries. During the period of the  canton  system,  the  Bashkirs  and

Mishars also performed state labour service. At the beginning of the 19th century, 70– 90% of those called up were sent to the line guard service, while from the late 1840s this figure reduced to approx. 15% (the rest of people went to the so-called working service). The teams were equipped for the construction of roads, military fortifications, timber rafting, urban beautification of Orenburg Province, etc. From the end of the 17th century, Teptyari and bobyls (landless peasants) performed labour service, including earthworks and construction work related to the Orenburg founding, fortresses construction, the Sterlitamak wharf building, the export of salt from the Ilyetsk salt industry, etc. Over time, some corvees were replaced by paid work. With the adoption of the Zemskaya Reform of 1864, Zemstvo C. received special development. After the Revolution of 1917, all C. were abolished. In 1920–22, the entire able-bodied population, regardless of their permanent job, had to perform Universal Labour Duty, which was also enacted during the Great Patriotic War. Some of the Red Army troops were transformed into labour troops.