But this type of farmer is really a model, created by the state to encourage other peasants to do something almost impossible.

He encouraged peasants to pay only the required rent and refrain from customary donations.

This, combined with concern over the level of support for the aged or disabled provided by the collective unit, encouraged peasants to have many sons.

He encouraged local peasants to drink beer, instead of water, due to its "gift of health."

Tax remissions and crop seed loans encouraged displaced peasants to return to their land.

The Song government started a series of irrigation projects that increased cultivatable land, and encouraged peasants to cultivate more land.

Albania's new government campaigned to end Italy's occupation of the country and encouraged peasants to harass Italian forces.

Once experiments with this system yielded successful results, the government officially sponsored it and encouraged peasants to use it.

In Bolivia, crop substitution programs have encouraged peasants to eradicate about 20 percent of the nation's coca plants since 1989.

While Mr. Gorbachev has encouraged peasants to establish their own farms, "very few" are accepting the program, he said.