Lean Years Research Articles

Overcoming the consequences of crop failures and helping victims of famine in the Penza province in the 1860s-1890s.

Despite the increased scientific interest in the problem of famine and food security in the Russian Empire in recent years, the topic remains poorly studied on the materials of the Penza province. The subject of the study is the main activities of the authorities and the public in the fight against famine and its consequences in the Penza province in the 1860s and 1890s. The purpose of the work is to identify the effectiveness of a system of local measures aimed at overcoming the consequences of crop failures and helping the hungry. The principles of historicism and objectivity, methods of grouping and generalizing statistical information, system, functional and comparative analysis were used as a methodological basis. According to the provisions of the socio-natural theory of E. S. Kulpin-Gubaidullin, the genesis of the crises of society is considered in the relationship and interdependence with the crises of nature. The author's special contribution to the research of the topic is that new information about the causes of crop failures and famine, as well as specific measures taken by the authorities and society to provide assistance to the affected population, has been introduced and analyzed. Based on the analysis of archival and literary sources, the state and public forms of assistance to victims of famine are systematized, the joint contribution of government agencies and zemstvo self-government bodies to overcoming the consequences of crop failures is determined. The main conclusion of the study is that the local security system had limited damage compensation capabilities and needed extraordinary government support. It can be argued that the implementation of local measures together with general imperial ones turned out to be generally effective: mass starvation deaths in the Penza province were not recorded in any of the lean years.

Administrative Discretion Through Changing Presidencies and Political Polarization: Reflection on the Rise, Fall, and Rise of Federal-Local Immigration Partnerships in the U.S.

ABSTRACT Created by Congress in 1996, the immigration enforcement program 287(g) has experienced several cycles of rapid expansion and contraction during different stages in the policy’s relatively brief lifetime. It is an intergovernmental program where state and local agencies sign onto agreements with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), effectively deputizing law enforcement agents to implement federal immigration policy. Using logit models and the lens of bureaucratic discretion, we find that agencies in politically conservative jurisdictions and counties with proportionally large Hispanic populations were most likely to sign these agreements and maintain them during the program’s lean years. Conservative counties were even more likely to have them when they have larger Hispanic populations and during times of Republican presidential administrations. This paper puts these findings in comparative perspective and links them to the worldwide trend of democratic decline and the rise of right-wing populism in Europe and elsewhere.

Rational use of forest land honey reserve for honey collection of the Toratau geopark of the Republic of Bashkortostan

Besides obtaining valuable beekeeping products, bee families have a positive effect when pollinating forest plants, ensuring both high productivity of resources and promoting the conservation and favourable development of natural populations of forest species. The object of the study, the lands of the forest fund of the Toratau geopark of the Republic of Bashkortostan, serve as an optimization of the number, expansion of the range and maintaining the genetic purity of the population of the indigenous Burzyan side bee (Apis mellifera L). There needs to be more information on the inventory of honey resources on the territory of the Geopark. Therefore, the goal was to determine the honey stock of forest land for productive medical collection and rational use of resources. As a result of research, land with an area of 479,640 hectares was covered with forest, which includes significant territories of linden stands (213335 hectares - 44.5%) and broad-leaved forest that does not have nectarines of linden and maple (194924 ha - 40.6%). Lipnyak is characterized by a biological resource potential of 96117283.3 kg and a broad-leaved forest, respectively, 904447.36 kg. The total estimated honey reserve of the territory of the Republic of Belarus mountain-forest zone consists of 104 595 108 kg, which will allow for keeping up to 560,704 bee families. Small-leaved linden accounts for 89.3%, located extremely unevenly in the studied territory. In the years favourable for the production of linden, the organization of nomadic beekeeping is necessary. The share of nectar reserves of maple, willow and grassy communities relative to but is small and amounts to 9.6%. However, given the instability of colour and nectar release of linden, the presence of alternative sources of nectar allows the preservation of the number of stationary bee families in the “lean years.”

РЕЗУЛЬТАТЫ МОНИТОРИНГА УРОЖАЙНОСТИ ДУБА МОНГОЛЬСКОГО – ОСНОВЫ КОРМОВОЙ БАЗЫ КОПЫТНЫХ ЖИВОТНЫХ В ЗАПОВЕДНИКЕ «БАСТАК»

The Mongolian oak Quercus mongolica Fisch. ex Ledeb. along with the Korean pine, Pinus koraiensis Siebold et Zuss form the ecosystem integrity basis at the Bastak Reserve. The study of these species productivity is important and relevant. Currently, a number of articles have been published on the Korean pine nut productivity in the protected area. However, the information concerning the Mongolian oak yield is available only in the Annals of Nature. This paper presents the assessment data on the Mongolian oak acorns yield as a fodder base for a number of wild animals being the nutrition for the Amur tiger. This species productivity monitoring has been carried out at Bastak Nature Reserve since 2015. However, the first acorn harvest was obtained only in 2017. The assessment is made on permanent transects in different areas of the reserve. The research shows that monitoring of the Mongolian oak harvest in the Bastak reserve is carried out irregularly. The productive and lean years alternation trend has not been determined yet, unlike in the Lazovsky Reserve. Perhaps, because of a short monitoring period. The Mongolian oak acorns yield is significantly influenced by the weather conditions, primarily, the absence of rainy days during the flowering period. It is noted that in the absence of Mongolian oak acorns yield there is a good harvest of pine nuts partially compensating the absence of acorns as a nutrition for ungulates. However, maintaining a stable density of ungulates needs certain bio-technical measures, such as feeding grounds.

THE FAMINE OF 1921-1922 IN NORTH KAZAKHSTAN: UNSTUDIED PAGES

The article is devoted to the unknown pages of the struggle against hunger in Northern Kazakhstan in 1921-1922 on the example of Akmola and Kostanay provinces. In the article, the author reveals the causes and consequences of the famine of 1921-1922 in Northern Kazakhstan. Here, in comparison with other affected regions, there was a big problem in the issue of food supply due to the large number of livestock deaths and several lean years. The causes of famine in Kazakhstan were the crop failure of 1921, caused by drought and locusts, lack of grain and excessive pumping of it in 1920, as well as the civil war on its territory in 1918-1920. All these reasons and the death of cattle from jute in 1920-1921 led to the utter devastation of agriculture in the republic. The famine in the Kazakh steppe was aggravated as a result of the Bolshevik government policy, when the so-called surplus agricultural products were selected and exported by food detachments, as well as due to radical changes in the economic structure and a reduction in the number of livestock among the Kazakh population. The article analyzes the demographic losses of the region, as well as studies the work of provincial commissions and public international organizations to combat hunger and its consequences.

The Judicial Discretion of the European Court of Human Rights: The Years of Plenty, and the Lean Years

The Judicial Discretion of the European Court of Human Rights: The Years of Plenty, and the Lean Years

Walter Bruno Gratzer (1932–2021): In his own words, as far as possible

Miranda Robertson commemorates the life, remarkable times and witty and erudite writing of protein chemist and biophysicist Walter Gratzer.

Impact analysis of state support on the agricultural organizations’ performance in Saratov region

The authors analyzed the impact of state support volume on the agricultural organizations’ performance in Saratov region. It is noted that there is no direct relationship between the output of commodity, gross output and volume of targeted financing. The authors note, however, that in lean years, targeted financing allows commodity producers to significantly ensure the reproduction process stability. The impact of government support on the performance indicators of agricultural organizations should be assessed by indicators that characterize the profit and capacity of the funds received. For these purposes, methods for evaluating state support are proposed for practical use, which allow us to quantify its impact. On the basis of these methods, the classification of municipal regional districts according to the level of state funds’ level impact on the reproductive process was carried out, based on the natural-climatic and industrial-economic features of agricultural production: the volume of state support, the level of production intensification, its specialization, the structure of property and energy security of enterprises, the level of labor productivity and payment.

Development of the Russian grain imports in the XIX – early XX centuries

  The object of this research is the Russian imports of grain and grain products (flour and cereal) over the period from 1802 to 1917. The subject of this research is the dynamic processes of changes in the volume and commodity structure of the import of grain and grain products in the XIX – early XX centuries. The article leans on the analysis of sources that contain data on the Russian imports of grain and grain products (annual “Reviews of Russian foreign trade through European and Asian borders”), which characterizes import of grain to the Russian Empire of this period. The study employs the methods of historical, source studies, and statistical analysis. The analysis of sampling relies on the tabular summary of data and graphic representation of data. The novelty lies in the analysis of the key trends in the development of import of grain to the country throughout a prolonged historical period, which is carried out virtually for the first time. Based on examination of the statistical data in the import of grain, the following results were obtained: 1) a significant dependence of the volume of grain imports on the state of domestic grain production and the absence or presence of “lean years” in particular is underlined; 2) the periods of excess of grain imports over exports is determined. 3. The conclusion is made on the significant increase in the volume and transformation of the structure of the Russian grain imports in the beginning of the XX century. It is also indicated that due to insignificant volumes of import, compared to export, the grain imports did not affect the overall level of grain consumption among the Russian population.  

Considering the Revolution

Considering the Revolution

НЕПРИЗНАННЫЙ ГОЛОД (О ГОЛОДЕ 1921-1923 ГГ. В АКМОЛИНСКОЙ ГУБЕРНИИ)

Based on the archival documents, the article considers the causes and effects of the famine that had taken place in the Akmolinsk governorate between 1921 and 1923. The Akmolinsk governorate was the region where there had been the major population deaths because of the lean years and under the Civil War. The archival sources show that the food crisis, bread to be constantly taken off and the influx of the starving refugees had worsened the plight of the population in the governorate. Based on the archival data, there shown the total number of starving people in the Akmolinsk governorate. Special attention is paid to the work of the Governmental Commission to Help the Starving People, which provided the famine relief in the governorate. There shown the procedures of the commissions, the key directions and objectives to improve the situation of the starving population in the region including the food services areas, the foreign organizations’ assistance to the starving population and the work of the committees on public resource. The author concludes that despite the famine having been on a large scale, the Soviet regime had never recognized the Akmolinsk governorate as famishing.

Some Reflections on Seven Lean Years of Guidelines Sentencing

Research Article| February 01 2021 Some Reflections on Seven Lean Years of Guidelines Sentencing Hon. Jack B. Weinstein Hon. Jack B. Weinstein As part of this Issue dedicated to the Honorable Jack B. Weinstein (EDNY), we are pleased to reprint this article authored by Judge Weinstein. It originally appeared in the July/August 1995 issue of FSR. Search for other works by this author on: This Site PubMed Google Scholar Federal Sentencing Reporter (2021) 33 (3): 197–198. https://doi.org/10.1525/fsr.2021.33.3.197 Views Icon Views Article contents Figures & tables Video Audio Supplementary Data Peer Review Share Icon Share Facebook Twitter LinkedIn MailTo Tools Icon Tools Get Permissions Cite Icon Cite Search Site Citation Hon. Jack B. Weinstein; Some Reflections on Seven Lean Years of Guidelines Sentencing. Federal Sentencing Reporter 1 February 2021; 33 (3): 197–198. doi: https://doi.org/10.1525/fsr.2021.33.3.197 Download citation file: Ris (Zotero) Reference Manager EasyBib Bookends Mendeley Papers EndNote RefWorks BibTex toolbar search Search Dropdown Menu toolbar search search input Search input auto suggest filter your search All ContentFederal Sentencing Reporter Search This content is only available via PDF. © 2021 Vera Institute of Justice. All rights reserved.2021 Article PDF first page preview Close Modal You do not currently have access to this content.

A.V. CHAYANOV ON THE DEVELOPMENT OF FARMING IN RUSSIA

The article considers the model of development of agricultural enterprises in Russia, proposed by the outstanding agricultural economist A.V. Chayanov. The authors demonstrate the relevance of A.V. Chayanov's ideas for solving modern problems of import substitution and ensuring food security facing domestic agriculture. It is argued that today the socio-economic model of agricultural enterprises in Russia, developed by A.V. Chayanov in the 1920s-1930s, is still extremely relevant and in demand. According to Chayanov, the core of such the model is a family labor-based peasant farm. The authors claim that A.V. Chayanov used a large factual material to prove that the way to increase the efficiency and innovative development of agriculture in Russia lies through the increase and strengthening of farms, their support at the government level, as well as their association into production and consumer cooperatives. A.V. Chayanov strongly opposed the nationalization of agricultural cooperatives, he warned that the state could not directly manage agricultural production. The state can and should create favorable conditions for the development of family labor-based peasant farms and agricultural cooperatives: improve the regulatory framework for agricultural activities, create social infrastructure in rural areas, regulate the taxation of peasant farms and agricultural cooperatives, regulate social and labor relations in agricultural production, implement targeted subsidies in lean years or in the event of emergency circumstances.

A Strategy for Fat Years and a Strategy for Lean Years: Strategic Human Capital Investment Over the Business Cycle

Most prior work in strategic human capital has held the external environment stable when considering the relationship between employee mobility and employer investment. This paper relaxes this assumption. The central claim of this paper is that the business cycle alters the nature of investment problems associated with efficient investment in human capital. In a boom, the main problem is efficient investment in general human capital because the employee cannot credibly commit to staying in the firm. In a recession, the main challenge is efficient investment in firm-specific human capital because the firm cannot credibly commit to retain the employee. We show that the managerial remedies for these investment problems proposed in prior work work may be less effective, ineffective, or even counter-productive when business cycle effects are introduced. Our analysis also reveals alternative remedies firms can use to mitigate investment problems during different phases of the business cycle.

Agriculture of Novosibirsk Oblast in the 1980s and Early 1990s: Development and Reform Problems

The research reveals the peculiarities of agricultural development in the Novosibirsk region at the late Soviet stage in order to find out concrete and reliable ideas about the causes, progress and consequences of agrarian reform of the early 1990s. We analyzed the changes in the organizational, economic and sectoral structure of the industry, the problems of the functioning of the collective farm and state farm system and the implementation of measures in the region to resolve them, factors that contributed to the growth and decline of agricultural production are analyzed. The content, directions and some economic consequences of the implementation of the agrarian reform of 1990 in the Novosibirsk region. In the 1980s the agro-industrial complex of the region developed due to the specialization and concentration of production, inter-farm cooperation of collective and state farms, their integration with industrial and trade organizations. The production of pork, poultry, eggs grew, and the gross grain harvest increased. The factors in the development of agriculture were the use of intensive technologies and favorable weather conditions. For agriculture in the Novosibirsk Region, the eleventh five-year plan (1981-1985) began with two consecutive lean years. The years of the twelfth five-year plan (1986-1990) were generally more productive. Agriculture did not meet the growing demand of the population for food. The material and technical resources of the industry have been largely wasted. Collective and state farm workers did not see any sense in increasing production productivity and sought to move to cities that attracted them with a higher standard of living. Attempts to improve the situation by democratizing management system in collective and state farms and by means of incentives for personal subsidiary plots did not produced desired results. The development of contractor relations in collective and state farms, rural settlements and the production base of farms looked like a more promising direction in the evolution of the agrarian sector of the economy. In 1990, due to the low growth rates of agricultural production, the government launched an agrarian reform, which opened the way for further development of the socio-economic infrastructure of the village, multi-structure and market. However, radical reformers insisted on forced transition to market relations and cut of state aid to producers. The implementation of these policies has led to negative consequences.

Perspective Technology to Improve Arid Pastures

This article presents the problems of degradation-desertification of astrakhan pasture and hayfields. In these areas, contain all kinds of livestock, as well as diverse fauna. In lean years and degradation, above animals cause large losses. Degradation, world science and practice recommended to be suspended by improvement, that is, by seeding of zoned fodder plants. Based on literature review, this article presents the features of perspective fodder plants of desert introduced into culture to improve arid pastures. Uzbekistan contains only Karakul sheep, whose skin is very highly valued on the world market, more than 10 million heads. More than 4.0 hectares are required per sheep per year, and the pasture area is about 20.0 million hectares. To improve which more than 40,000 tons of Kochia seeds are required per year, for which it is necessary to create seed plants nurseries. Therefore, the authors of this research paper had the goal to develop perspective technology for improving arid pastures, with the creation of rational Kochia seed plants. The results of existing scientific and practical work analyzed and present authors continue to study some indicators of physic-mechanical properties (friction coefficient for various materials) of Kochia seeds. Existing technologies for improving pastures and hayfields, and creating seed plants were studied. These studies have developed the methodology and effectiveness of furrow sowing of the Kochia seeds, in comparison with surface sowing (control). The main parameters are theoretically substantiated and experimentally confirmed – diameter and width, as well as the type of the covering roller of experimental seeder (based on grain-grass seeder) for sowing Kochia seeds, simultaneously forming a sowing furrow and seed embedment in them. Based on the results of laboratory, field and economic tests of experimental desert seeder, optimal seedlings obtained of Kochia seeds and, subsequently, a high yield of fodder and seed mass. A continuation of the proposed innovative technology for improving arid pastures, hayfields and creation of seed plants are preliminary and further research on control of pests and diseases of desert fodder plants and their seeds by biological methods, and the use of ultraviolet radiation.

Major General Lev Yegorovich Nord as Governor of Ufa (1889-1894)

The activity of the Ufa governor Lev Yegorovich Nord is considered. The scientific novelty of the study is that the activities of the governor are covered on the basis of an analysis of unpublished sources. The author shows that the efforts of the Ufa governor L. Ye. Nord and local authorities implemented a set of measures, most of which had a positive effect on the socio-economic development of the region. It is shown that much attention was paid to the land issue, the preservation of the natural wealth of the Southern Urals, the rights of Bashkir patriarchs to freely alienate their lands. The successful work of L. Ye. Nord in lean years of 1890-1891 is emphasized. The article describes social activities: providing an opportunity for the starving population to earn money for food, introducing quarantine in the province in connection with the cholera epidemic, in particular the isolation of patients in specially designated barracks. It is reported that with the assistance of the governor, a highway was laid, the construction of an elevator in Ufa and a grain barn in Davlekanovo was started. The author comes to the conclusion that the activity of the Ufa governor was aimed exclusively at the good of the Fatherland, brought great benefits to the region, which caused respect for his contemporaries.

Kurt Vonnegut Remembered

Kurt Vonnegut Remembered

Historical aspect of environmental thinking and steppe forestry

Historical aspect of environmental thinking and steppe forestry

Size Selection of Alternative Prey Relative to the Abundance of Primary Prey: Pine Marten Hunting for Frogs

According to optimal foraging theory, a predator should select the most beneficial prey in terms of energy gain relative to handling time. For the pine marten (Martes martes), rodents such as bank voles are the primary prey; however, the pine marten can switch to a variety of secondary prey items (e.g., birds, fruit and frogs) when the rodent abundance is low. We measured frog ilia found in pine marten scats during several consecutive years to assess whether the body mass of consumed frogs varied with changes in rodent abundance. Rodent density was inversely related to the frequency of occurrence of frogs in the marten's diet. Moreover, during the years with low rodent abundance, pine martens ate smaller frogs than in the years with high rodent availability. The average frog weight (18 g) during the years with high rodent density was similar to average vole weight, suggesting that prey of this size has an optimal ratio of foraging effort to energetic gain. During the lean years, martens preyed on frogs smaller than the average vole weight, and during spring this frog size-group is usually the most abundant in the environment. Our results suggest that functional responses of predators to low abundance of primary prey involve not only a prey-switch but also a decrease in the size of secondary prey consumed. Fluctuations in the proportion of frogs eaten in relation to yearly rodent density can affect both marten and frog population demography.