Inhabited Chetvert

(Russian “zhivushchaia” chetvert’’, also called the “household” [“dvorovaia”] chetvert’), a conventional unit for the levying of taxes, introduced by the Russian government in the 1630’s to simplify calculations in determining the amount of the land tax. The unit consisted ofachetvert’ of arable land (about half a desiatina, slightly more than half a hectare) on the lands of lay feudal lords and about two-thirds of a desiatina (three-quarters of a hectare) on monastery and church lands. It was conventionally calculated that on each inhabited chetvert’ were eight peasant and four bobyl’ (poor peasant) households on secular estates, and six peasant and three bobyl’ households on ecclesiastical lands. With the later change to the tax on individual households, the unit was no longer needed.