What was the significance of the 1917 Decree on Land for peasants?

• A. Established state monopolies over land.
• B. Gave land to foreign investors.
• C. Redistributed land from landlords to peasants and undermined land-ownership.
• D. Kept land under landlord control.

Answer: (C)

Property redistribution from landlords to peasants and the erosion of private land ownership is what this item tests. The Decree on Land in 1917 declared land as belonging to the nation and transferred ownership to the peasantry through local committees, effectively abolishing the old landlord system. This fulfilled a major peasant demand and weakened the landlord class, helping the Bolsheviks consolidate power in the countryside. It did not establish state monopolies over land, did not allocate land to foreign investors, and did not keep land under landlord control. In short, it redefined land ownership in Russia and set the stage for Soviet agrarian policy.