Russia and the US farmer

There exist two problems with one simple solution: a solution that would benefit both parties tremendously and would alleviate a worse future out come for both.

Photo: Russia and the US farmer

The first problem is that Russia has lots of land, a lot of empty agricultural land at that and a desire to not only grow its' population but also its' agricultural output. It would further rather not have this land exploited and its' population increased by the Chinese illegals streaming across the Russian borders.

America has a different problem. This is a problem of people, or rather of one class of people in particular. These are a new, unappreciated and unneeded people, as determined by American society. What ever the benefits to a nation of a class of successful small farmers, and there are many, the American progressive society has made a conscious decision to ditch them. To kick them to the curb, a throw away class from a throw away past by a throw away society. This is obvious by the growth of mega corporations, subsidized by government largess of tax payer funds. Since the late 1970s, over 300,000 small farms have failed and at an average of 5 members per household, that's 1.5 million people without their lively hood that they loved and cherished.

Thus the two problems beg a solution, a solution that is linked and limbered to each other as few others can be. With well over 1.5 million members of the farming class, in America, facing or experiencing failure or at best, just barely hanging on, Russia can offer an outlet of abundant land for these masses.

Several initiatives will make this possible. Russia should offer these farmers twenty acres a piece and allow them to buy more for hard cash, no loans. It should then attach with this a mandatory one year road to citizenship, free transportation of the farm equipment and animals from the US to Russia and a low interested fixed rate loan for building (where needed) a homestead and starting capital for the first year's season.

In exchange, these farmers will agree to several conditions and will in turn provide key benefits. The first issue is loyalty. To assure this, immigrants and their families will agree in writing to take up Russian citizenship within 1 year of arrival. Before immigration takes place, they will be given six months to learn a set minimum fluency in the Russian language and Russian history/culture.

The immigrants will further guarantee that each of their sons, upon reaching the legal age, will serve out the minimal term of enlistment in the Russian armed forces. Furthermore, the immigrants will provide classes weekly, to their adopted communities, on Western standards and science of agriculture. These will continue as long as there is a demand from the community.

Lastly, the immigrants will be required to donate 5% of their income to their adoptive communities for a period no longer then 15 years. This money may be given to the local established church, the village government, directly to the poor or as an individually initiated and executed project that shows results within a 24 month period. The immigrant will have his choice of the above.

There are, undeniably, several hazards and drawbacks.

The primary issue is absorption into the main culture/society of Russia. To this end, immigrants should not be allowed to make up more then 5% of the population in any community. This will keep them permanently a minority and thus force absorption into the main stream culture within one or two generations. Similarly, the different religious background of most American immigrants (Protestants and Catholics) should also be tended to through education of the Orthodox faith and gentle missionary work by properly prepared clergy. The requirement for military service will also help ensure that the second generation is culturally and genetically absorbed, through a much greater chance of mixed marriages.

Issues of American historic territorial expansion, through colonization followed by land grabs (as seen in Texas, California, Colorado, Florida and Hawaii) will also be addressed by keeping the immigrants a minority and away from the eastern coastal regions.

Finally, any local jealousy over accusations of favoritism for immigrants, should be alleviated by the 5% required re investments and the classes given by the immigrants.

Once and if this program is a success, as this author predicts it will be, the gold mines of British, German, Italian, French dissatisfaction can be equally mined for new Western, Christian immigrants, whose absorption into the dominant Russian culture will help ensure Russia of remaining Russia and growing more prosperous.

Stanislav Mishin

The article reprinted with the kind permission from Stanislav Mishin and can be found on his personal blog Mat Rodina