THE MONGOL YOKE REVISITED: DID IT HOLD RUSSIA BACK OR PROPEL IT FORWARD?

Abstract

Many in believe that the cause of Russia's lag vis a vis Europe was caused by the
Tatar-Mongol invasions of the 13th century. Russia, under Mongol domination was isolated
from European developments and therefore failed to participate in the crucial events of the
period 1240-1480 that propelled Europe into the modern age. However, since Russia was
practicing swidden (slash and burn) farming at that time, there was no subsistence basis on
which to build a powerful state. Mongol taxation encouraged intensification of production,
and by the 1460's movement on peasant mobility and the European 3-field system were
being introduced into Russia, which became the economic bases of the Muscovite state.
Thus without Mongol taxation, Russia might have remained in swidden for much longer
than it did, with a consequent greater lag in development than was actually experienced.