The agrarian question as a factor of political struggle in Russia during the Civil war: The dilemma of the White movement

Relevance . This article is devoted to a key and at the same time insufficiently studied historical aspect - the analysis of the agrarian policy of the White movement during the Civil War in Russia. In conditions when the peasantry constituted the majority of the population, the agrarian question determined the political loyalty of the masses. Studying the approaches of the White movement to solving the land issue allows us to understand the reasons for its defeat and identify strategic miscalculations, as well as assess the impact of agrarian policy on socio-political processes in Russia. Purpose . Based on a comprehensive analysis of historical sources and historiographic data, is to identify and systematize the main contradictions in the agrarian policy of the White movement during the Civil War in Russia. Objectives : analysis of the main approaches to solving the agrarian question among various political forces within the White movement; study of the evolution of the agrarian policy of the White movement at various stages of the Civil War. Methodology . In the article, historiographic, comparative-historical and problem-chronological methods were used to analyze the evolution of the White movement's agrarian policy. Results. The study identified key contradictions in the White movement's agrarian policy and assessed their impact on relations with the peasantry during the Civil War. The analysis of historiography showed the evolution of the approaches of the White governments: from restoration tendencies and postponing decisions to compromises and, finally, to an attempt at radical reform. The study confirmed that the inability of the Whites to resolve the agrarian issue and ignoring the interests of the peasantry became one of the key reasons for their defeat. Conclusions . The conducted research revealed that the agrarian policy of the White movement, evolving from restoration tendencies to attempts at reform, was characterized by inconsistency and belatedness. This inability to resolve the agrarian question, ignoring the interests of the peasantry and, as a result, the inability to enlist its support, were one of the key reasons for the defeat of the White movement in the Civil War. This historical experience emphasizes the exceptional importance of taking into account the agrarian question for any political force striving for success in Russia.