Alexey Peshekhonov
Encyclopedia
Alexey Vasilyevich Peshekhonov (Алексей Васильевич Пешехонов) (February 2, 1867 (January 21 old style
) – April 3, 1933) was a Russia
n economist, publicist, and statistician. He was a member of the Russian provisional government
as a minister of food supplies for some months in the summer of 1917.
philosopher N.K. Mikhailovsky. After military service 1888 to 1891, he worked first as a village teacher and later as a statistician for the Tver and Orla zemstvo councils, then the Kaluga province zemstvo administration where he became head of the statistical service (1896-1898). During this period he published noted studies on rural life that earned him entry into employment as a journalist in St. Petersburg (1899). He was also during this period several times arrested for his political activities, imprisoned or banished from his place of residence.
Around the turn of the century, in addition to his journalism, Peshekhonov became increasingly active in the left-liberal political world - i.a., he was co-founder in 1903 of a "Union for Liberation
" (Soiuz osvobozhdeniia). He was also briefly a member of the Socialist-Revolutionary Party
but objected to its use of terror. In 1906, he co-founded, with N.F. Annensky
, V.A. Miakotin
and others, the Popular Socialist Party
(NSP). After the "Bloody Sunday" events of January 1905, he was locked up in the Peter and Paul Fortress, then banished until October of that year, and again arrested for several months in 1906. During the following years, Peshekhonov published several books on agrarian, economic and political issues.
In February 1917 Peshekhonov assumed leading roles as an NS delegate in the Petrograd Soviet of Worker's and Soldier's Deputies, with strong engagement on agrarian issues. He favoured co-operation of the Soviet with the (Kadet) Provisional Government, and in May 1917 joined the coalition government then formed as minister of food supplies. In October, he was deputy chairman of the pre-parliament council, and after the Bolshevik
seizure of power joined the left-center opposition. In 1921 he played a leading role in organising famine relief for Russia.
In the fall of 1922, Peshekhonov was included in the list of intellectuals to be exiled abroad by a Central Committee decree (although he does not seem to have travelled on the famous "Philosophers' ships
" that took the bulk of them to Germany). Exiled against his will, more left-wing than most of his co-expellees, Peshekhonov unhappily pursued his economic and political studies in Berlin and Prague, but repeatedly applied for permission to return to the Soviet Union. This was never granted, but eventually he was given a post as a consultant to the Soviet Trade Mission in Riga, where he died in 1933. His remains were permitted to return and buried in Leningrad.
Old Style and New Style dates
Old Style and New Style are used in English language historical studies either to indicate that the start of the Julian year has been adjusted to start on 1 January even though documents written at the time use a different start of year ; or to indicate that a date conforms to the Julian...
) – April 3, 1933) was a Russia
Russia
Russia or , officially known as both Russia and the Russian Federation , is a country in northern Eurasia. It is a federal semi-presidential republic, comprising 83 federal subjects...
n economist, publicist, and statistician. He was a member of the Russian provisional government
Russian Provisional Government
The Russian Provisional Government was the short-lived administrative body which sought to govern Russia immediately following the abdication of Tsar Nicholas II . On September 14, the State Duma of the Russian Empire was officially dissolved by the newly created Directorate, and the country was...
as a minister of food supplies for some months in the summer of 1917.
Life
Peshekhonov was a self-educated social activist. Enrolled early in a Tver seminary for priests, he was expelled for political activity at age 17 (in 1884), and seems to have had no further formal training. He was strongly influenced by the narodnikNarodnik
Narodniks was the name for Russian socially conscious members of the middle class in the 1860s and 1870s. Their ideas and actions were known as Narodnichestvo which can be translated as "Peopleism", though is more commonly rendered "populism"...
philosopher N.K. Mikhailovsky. After military service 1888 to 1891, he worked first as a village teacher and later as a statistician for the Tver and Orla zemstvo councils, then the Kaluga province zemstvo administration where he became head of the statistical service (1896-1898). During this period he published noted studies on rural life that earned him entry into employment as a journalist in St. Petersburg (1899). He was also during this period several times arrested for his political activities, imprisoned or banished from his place of residence.
Around the turn of the century, in addition to his journalism, Peshekhonov became increasingly active in the left-liberal political world - i.a., he was co-founder in 1903 of a "Union for Liberation
Constitutional Democratic party
The Constitutional Democratic Party was a liberal political party in the Russian Empire. Party members were called Kadets, from the abbreviation K-D of the party name...
" (Soiuz osvobozhdeniia). He was also briefly a member of the Socialist-Revolutionary Party
Socialist-Revolutionary Party
thumb|right|200px|Socialist-Revolutionary election poster, 1917. The caption in red reads "партия соц-рев" , short for Party of the Socialist Revolutionaries...
but objected to its use of terror. In 1906, he co-founded, with N.F. Annensky
Nikolai Annensky
Nikolai Feodorovich Annensky was a Russian economist, statistician and politician. He was a member of the populist movement and the Socialist-Revolutionary Party before becoming one of the founders of the Russian Popular Socialist Party in 1906.-Biography:Annensky was born in St. Petersburg and...
, V.A. Miakotin
Venedikt Miakotin
Venedikt Aleksandrovich Miakotin was a Russian historian and narodnik politician.-Life:V.A. Miakotin was born in Gatchina and educated at the Kronstadt gymnasium and the University of Saint Petersburg, where he studied history and philology. He subsequently became a professor of history at Saint...
and others, the Popular Socialist Party
Popular Socialists (Russia)
The Popular Socialist Party emerged in Russia in the early twentieth century.- History :The roots of the Popular Socialist Party lay in the 'Legal Populist' movement of the 1890s, and its founders looked upon N.K. Mikhailovsky and Alexander Herzen as ideological forerunners...
(NSP). After the "Bloody Sunday" events of January 1905, he was locked up in the Peter and Paul Fortress, then banished until October of that year, and again arrested for several months in 1906. During the following years, Peshekhonov published several books on agrarian, economic and political issues.
In February 1917 Peshekhonov assumed leading roles as an NS delegate in the Petrograd Soviet of Worker's and Soldier's Deputies, with strong engagement on agrarian issues. He favoured co-operation of the Soviet with the (Kadet) Provisional Government, and in May 1917 joined the coalition government then formed as minister of food supplies. In October, he was deputy chairman of the pre-parliament council, and after the Bolshevik
Bolshevik
The Bolsheviks, originally also Bolshevists , derived from bol'shinstvo, "majority") were a faction of the Marxist Russian Social Democratic Labour Party which split apart from the Menshevik faction at the Second Party Congress in 1903....
seizure of power joined the left-center opposition. In 1921 he played a leading role in organising famine relief for Russia.
In the fall of 1922, Peshekhonov was included in the list of intellectuals to be exiled abroad by a Central Committee decree (although he does not seem to have travelled on the famous "Philosophers' ships
Philosophers' ships
Philosophers' ships is the collective name of several boats that carried Soviet expellees abroad.The main load was handled by two German boats, the Oberbürgermeister Haken and the Preussen, which transported more than 160 expelled Russian intellectuals in September and November 1922 from Petrograd...
" that took the bulk of them to Germany). Exiled against his will, more left-wing than most of his co-expellees, Peshekhonov unhappily pursued his economic and political studies in Berlin and Prague, but repeatedly applied for permission to return to the Soviet Union. This was never granted, but eventually he was given a post as a consultant to the Soviet Trade Mission in Riga, where he died in 1933. His remains were permitted to return and buried in Leningrad.