The decided betterment in the living conditions of
the agricultural population brought about a sharp
decline in the death rate of the rural population since
the revolution. Thus, the death rate in rural districts
amounted to 28.6 per 1,000 persons in 1911-13, to
21.7 in 1926, to 21.8 in 1927, and to 18.7 in 1928.
Even more clearly is this process of the improvement
 in the conditions of the great mass of the peasantry
 illustrated by the decided reduction in the infant
mortality rate. During the period 1911-13, in the
European part of the empire, the infant mortality
rate (for infants up to one year old) was 266 per
1,000; in 1926 the infant mortality rate among the
rural population was 174, in 1928—156. The foregoing
 figures bespeak a considerable betterment in the
standards of living of the village masses, resulting in
a notable decline in deaths among infants, in increased
longevity, and in a corresponding gain in the natural
growth of the population. In 1911-13 the annual
natural growth in population amounted to 16.9 per
1,000, in 1926 it reached 24 for the village population,
and in 1928—26.3.

VI

Along with the general growth of agricultural production,
 the great mass of the peasantry, the poor and
middle groups, were confronted, in all its magnitude,
with the problem of the conditions which would enable
them to progress to the higher level of socialized production.

The more rapid development of production for sale
signified the taking advantage of market conditions
by the larger producers primarily. This is clearly
brought out by a comparison of the results accomplished
 by the various groups of peasants:
10