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30 constitute 80 to 85 per cent. of the total population. No doubt in the last generation the existence of prodigious mineral wealth has been revealed in the centre, in Poland, in the Donetz, in the Ural. The industrial exploitation of these regions has begun and very rapidly developed, partly through the enterprise of Belgian engineers. But for ages to come the industrial production of Russia will scarcely meet the demand of the home market. Russia will continue to buy from the foreigner and will remain an agricultural nation, and one of the granaries of the world.

II

Now in all countries and in all times an agricultural, non-industrial, non-commercial nation is essentially conservative, almost blindly respectful of all traditions and all authorities. Its political progress is much slower, even though it may be safer. But in Russia the peasantry are incomparably more conservative than anywhere else. In the first place they are more religious, or, in the opinion of doctrinaires, more superstitious. For centuries they have identified themselves with the cause of the