ABSTRACT
The Siberian peasants had clear ideas about honor and dishonor, and a reputation as an honest person meant much in the eyes of agriculturalists: "poor but honest," "naked but not a thief," "honest people take one's word," they would say. Interesting are the words of the Dalmatovsk peasant A. N. Zyrianov in response to an insult by a government official: "You cannot take away honor, which I will rightfully defend and will seek justice." "Honor, honor! What is your honor to me? Is your honor so grand? ... I will show how much your honor is worth!" shouted the official. To demonstrate his power over the peasant, he ordered him to be sent under escort to the registration center in Verkhno-Iarsk village. The peasant stubbornly defended his right (making appeals to the authorities of his volost', to the okrug, a and to the minister of state property) and ultimately a special investigatory commission made a decision in his favor—thus, he was successful in defending his honor. 1
