D. Galperina Bella

THE FOURTH STATE DUMA (FIFTH SESSION) AND THE LAST IMPERIAL MINISTER OF AGRICULTURE (1 NOVEMBER 1916 TO 25 FEBRUARY 1917)

Authors

D. Galperina Bella

Keywords:

the Fourth State Duma, Council of Ministers of the Russian Empire, minister of agriculture Alexander A. Rittich, food problem, agricultural policy, World War I.

Abstract

Article is devoted to policy of the IV State Duma and Ministry of agriculture aimed at overcoming of food crisis in the years of World War I. Sharpness of a food question admitted Russia the Soviet and Post-Soviet authors. Unlike them, the author of article pays attention to the mistakes in food policy which caused crisis. According to the author, the main reason for crisis was that socalled fixed prices were established only on agriculture products. The last minister of agriculture of the Russian Empire A.A. Rittikh tried to correct situation. However his activity was hampered by political circumstances, in particular, disturbances in the State Duma. Research is based on the detailed analysis of a historiography, memoirs and verbatim records of the Duma’ meetings.

THE FOURTH STATE DUMA (FIFTH SESSION) AND THE LAST IMPERIAL MINISTER OF AGRICULTURE (1 NOVEMBER 1916 TO 25 FEBRUARY 1917)