The study of the history of the class struggle of the peasantry in the eighteenth century requires attention to the lower forms of anti-feudal struggle compared to the uprisings, such as the "search for the Cossacks" and escapes, which became widespread in Left-bank Ukraine in the second half of this century. They are still insufficiently covered in the literature, especially the first 1 . Some sources on these issues have been published, 2 but the bulk of them have not yet been introduced into scientific use. The policy pursued by tsarism fully corresponded to the desire of the Ukrainian feudal lords for the final enslavement of the Peasant-Cossack masses. The Cossack foreman, who occupied a dominant position in the Left-bank Ukraine, seized most of the land in their hands. The lands that had previously belonged to non - enslaved peasants-the so-called free military authorities-have almost disappeared. If according to the audit of 1741 there were 4,695 households belonging to non-enslaved peasants in the region, according to the audit of 1753 - 1,723 yards and 1,852 out - of-court huts, then according to the audit of 1764-only 813 yards and 603 out-of-court huts, where more than 4 thousand male souls lived .3 The decree of May 3, 1783 completed the registration of serfdom in the Left-bank and Sloboda Ukraine. In 1785, the Ukrainian feudal lords were finally equalized in rights with the Russian nobility. Along with the peasants, the object of feudal exploitation increasingly became the Cossack masses, who gradually lost their rights and privileges obtained during the liberation war of 1648-1654. One of the most common forms of feudal offensive against ordinary Cossacks was the seizure of their lands. In addition to military service, the Cossacks were used by the government and the senior administration as cheap labor for the construction and repair of fortresses, digging canals, etc. The bulk of the Cossacks, being on their own support both during their service at o ... Читать далее