Features of the Development and Discussion of the Draft Land Reform in the White South of Russia in the Summer – Autumn of 1919

Introduction. The history of the agrarian and peasant policy of the White Movement during the Civil War in Russia seems to be insufficiently studied. The stability of the military-political system, which was created by anti-Bolshevik structures, a Special Meeting under the Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of the South of Russia, General Denikin, depended on its successful proclamation and effective implementation. The peasantry made up the majority of the Russian population, and its support was extremely important. This was also important for the white armies, since the position of the peasantry influenced the implementation of mobilizations, military and civil duties. Аnalysis. The analysis made it possible to identify several problems that are fundamentally important for understanding the features of the formation and evolution of the agrarian and peasant policy of the white South. There were two groups of participants in the discussion of the land bill. Their positions were distinguished by a different attitude to the size of the farms of former landlords, to the forms of redemption operations. Supporters of the preservation of large private farms advocated taking into account the economic factors associated with maintaining high marketability and export orientation. Another point of view was the need to satisfy, first of all, the political demands of the peasantry. Supporters of this group of participants in the work of the Commission noted the need to make maximum concessions to peasant demands, demanded to take into account the psychological need of the peasantry for additional allotment of land. In their opinion, in the future, peasants will be able to completely replace landlords in relation to the production of marketable agricultural products. The position of the Supreme Ruler of Russia, Admiral A.V. Kolchak, also played an important role in the work of land management commissions. Results. The analysis of the features of the discussion of the land bill, the agrarian and peasant policy of the Special Meeting conducted in the article gives grounds to assert serious changes in the internal political course of the White Movement by the end of 1919