Putin giving away free land in the Far East?

[Jeremy F Kreuz]

Yeah, I suppose it is not a new idea.
According many books on the history of Russia; immigration to the East has been almost always a part of Russian Policy - either on a volunteer base or forced. over the centuries adventurers of all kind were given a deal by Russian governments to guard and develop the far east in exchange for free land (and often destruction of the local tribes). They would set up a fortified farm and scout the area for raiding nomads or other invaders. When the local population objected to the new arrivals; punitive operations were set up to deal with these objections. Either these tribes submitted and came to some deal or they were wiped out. In that sense Russian governments were having similar tactics as were used in the US against the local tribes.

Is a hectare a meaningful amount of land to develop self sufficient life?

 

[Aiming]

Actually, it's a good idea to keep in mind and follow the news in order to see how the whole thing develops. I was born in what is now Russia, so who knows, especially after I took a look at the maps of the last Ice Age. Maybe other foreigners who want to immigrate can check this out too. I am sure the Russian government will be receptive if the land will be used for raising cattle and pigs, for example, or maybe some other useful purposes. After all, the whole idea is to develop the area.

Its such a vast stretch of land and looks absolutely beautiful. It would be good environment to set up a community, out in some of the rural areas of the east raising animals and living off the land and in nature. I'm not sure whether it is just Russian citizens who are being offered this opportunity, and as you said maybe they will open up to foreigners.

Yes, it's really beautiful there, thanks for the videos, Keit. Apparently, offering the land even to foreigners is what they're already considering:

"We want to offer to establish a mechanism for free allocation to each inhabitant of the Far East and to everyone who would like to come to the Far East, of 1 ha of land that can be used for agriculture, to create a business, forestry, hunting", said Trutnev.

I must check out if it's hard to apply for Russian citizenship ;D

Haha, my thoughts exactly ;)

No ice sheets?! Siberia is looking more and more inviting. Time to learn balalaika and buy ushanka! Well, that might be a bit premature - Putin and the government are still hammering out the details, it looks like. Might be a while before it goes into effect.

Yes, they're still in the planning phase, but until then, next to learning balalaika and wearing an ushanka from now on so as to send DCM a signal ;), time to learn Russian already!

 

[Keit]

Is a hectare a meaningful amount of land to develop self sufficient life?

Maybe not, but then if several people will ask for an adjacent land, it may work.

No doubt that for now it's just a crazy idea. Life is extremely difficult already in many Russian villages that are not even near the Far East. There is no infrastructure, no "modern life stimulation", so all the young ones and everyone else run away from places like this. The alcoholism is rampant there, because you have nothing else to do beside getting drunk, etc. But that just proves that what is lacking is a sense of community and an aim interesting and stimulating enough to get everyone busy with it.

But Russian government is trying to save the situation somehow. For example, there is already a program in place called "the country doctor". It gives one million rubles to young doctors (up to 35 years old) to buy a house if they are willing to work at least 5 years in the country side - in one of the villages. There are also discounts and privileges for entrepreneurs and businessmen who want to open some kind of business in more remote areas of Siberia. And some of them are thriving, but not without an initial struggle. In the end it probably comes down to persons willingness to work hard and not giving up too easily.

 

[Aiming]

Is a hectare a meaningful amount of land to develop self sufficient life?

Maybe not, but then if several people will ask for an adjacent land, it may work.

In the article it says that they're going to examine whether the 1 hectare would be enough or not, so that's also not yet decided.

But Russian government is trying to save the situation somehow. For example, there is already a program in place called "the country doctor". It gives one million rubles to young doctors (up to 35 years old) to buy a house if they are willing to work at least 5 years in the country side - in one of the villages. There are also discounts and privileges for entrepreneurs and businessmen who want to open some kind of business in more remote areas of Siberia. And some of them are thriving, but not without an initial struggle. In the end it probably comes down to persons willingness to work hard and not giving up too easily.

I think that this is exactly the advantage of th situation: only people willing to work hard and persevere are going to go there (those who don't use the land will lose it again), so that means there's a high probability that psychopaths won't feel attracted to the place (at least in the initial stages, they'd come when there's enough built up to profit). Their absence would be good for building up communities.

 

[anothermagyar]

[quote author=Aiming]I think that this is exactly the advantage of th situation: only people willing to work hard and persevere are going to go there (those who don't use the land will lose it again), so that means there's a high probability that psychopaths won't feel attracted to the place (at least in the initial stages, they'd come when there's enough built up to profit). Their absence would be good for building up communities.
[/quote]

That's a good point!
I was thinking about the same thing, because probably Putin not going to declare: "FOTCM members only"
to filter out pathological people! ;)

Quote from: Approaching Infinity on Yesterday at 05:22:55 PM

Quote


Quote from: Seaniebawn on Yesterday at 03:29:00 PM

I must check out if it's hard to apply for Russian citizenship ;D

Haha, my thoughts exactly ;)


No ice sheets?! Siberia is looking more and more inviting. Time to learn balalaika and buy ushanka! Well, that might be a bit premature - Putin and the government are still hammering out the details, it looks like. Might be a while before it goes into effect.

Balalaika is not a problem for you AI!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JjdDq0IqBDc

This musician is really awesome!:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=imlF2kxRlRA

 

[Tui]

Yes, Alexei Arkhipovsky is a brilliant balalaika player. Also listen to his concert – nearly 90 minutes but worth watching/listening to the end. Captivating. Difficult to believe this instrument has only three strings, the way he plays it. Watch out at about 1:08:00, you can start levitating or go into meditation, even though this piece is quite allegro assai. Heavenly. And the dramatic piece that follows is exhilarating and shoots you even higher up amongst the stars. Watch/listen at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=imlF2kxRlRA

To get a feel for the Russian soul (before moving there!), watch a music concert honouring the Russian folk singer Lyudmilla Zykina on her 80th birthday a few weeks before she died. The famous singer received a "People's Artist of Russia" award and even had an asteroid named after her. The concert is full of beautiful women dressed in beautiful Russian costumes performing stirring Russian folk songs with Zykina listening intently, and handsome men dance for her like only Russian men can: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=47yGTyV5k5Y

 

[Keit]

Yes, Alexei Arkhipovsky is a brilliant balalaika player. Also listen to his concert – nearly 90 minutes but worth watching/listening to the end.

Thank you for the recommendation. Unfortunately, you probably copied the wrong link, because the recording is only 4 min long.

To get a feel for the Russian soul (before moving there!), watch a music concert honouring the Russian folk singer Lyudmilla Zykina on her 80th birthday a few weeks before she died.

Amazing concert! Thanks for sharing. And the costumes are gorgeous!

 

[Approaching Infinity]

Wow, Arkhipovsky is a really brilliant musician! I wonder if it's possible to play traditional Russian music on the banjo?

And those documentaries (especially the Altai Awakening one) are just beautiful. The evocative music helps, but maybe there is a bit of magic in those regions? http://cassiopaea.org/forum/index.php/topic,34222.msg534237.html#msg534237

 

[Tui]

Yes, i posted the wrong link for the Archipovsky balalaika concert. So sorry. Herewith the right link (I hope): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o1UD5UlDa8c

 

[rentime064]

Eastern territories of Russia are one of the few untouched and most beautiful regions of the earth. If it weren't for the extreme weather every single winter, they wouldn't have to be giving out land, people would want to live there voluntarily.

 

[Possibility of Being]

Eastern territories of Russia are one of the few untouched and most beautiful regions of the earth. If it weren't for the extreme weather every single winter, they wouldn't have to be giving out land, people would want to live there voluntarily.

Wholeheartedly agree! I wish I knew it from my own experience and not only from films and pictures. Just have a look at Lena Pillars, for example:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lena_Pillars

Lena Pillars is the name given to a natural rock formation along the banks of the Lena River in far eastern Siberia. The pillars are 150–300 metres (490–980 ft) high, and were formed in some of the Cambrian period sea-basins. The Lena Pillars National Park was inscribed on the World Heritage List in 2012.

The site lies less than a day's boat ride upriver (south) from the city of Yakutsk, the capital of the autonomous Sakha Republic.

One of many pictures from
http://www.lazerhorse.org/2014/02/09/lena-pillars-russia-geology/#

The place is so isolated and extreme that it’s never likely to get much tourist trade. But that’s a good thing for the Lena Pillars themselves and the surrounding wilderness I suppose. There’s not much left on this planet that we haven’t either ruined or are currently ruining, so it’s nice to see somewhere us humans can barely survive. At least it’s got a fighting chance then.

 

[Laura]

Maybe it's time for everyone to read the "Little House" series of books by Laura Ingalls Wilder?

 

[Nević Nenad]

1 hectare is more than enough for one average family. Where I live family agriculture is very undeveloped (think 19. century). Not many big farms. Families which live in villages usually have their houses, gardens (mostly season vegetables and some fruits) and animal stays (mostly pigs) all in a much smaller land that 1 hectare. For example my family has some 35 ares, and even that is not all used.

Land bigger than 1 hectare is if you wish to expand, to live from cutting the forest, corn crops, to get more wealth, more this or that . . . actually if you don’t have some good machinery (which costs big money!) very unpractical. (one of the reason why country where I live is getting more under 'wild' nature and greenery by the year. Especially on the land where in socialist times were big agricultural firms.)

 

[cindyj]

There is a new documentary I plan to see, about a family who leaves civilization to live in the Yukon outback for nine months (and through winter). It should prove insightful-- I'll write a review after I've seen it.

The conditions they face are probably similar weather-wise to the far-east of Russia, or perhaps still milder?

Here is a video clip:
http://vimeo.com/105430884

 

[Jeremy F Kreuz]

1 hectare is more than enough for one average family.

thanks for the clarification Avala.