The author compares four Russian reforms: The «Great reform» of 1861, Stolypin’s reform of 1906, the «Black redistribution» which was launched by the Decree on Land of 1917 and the New economic police introduced in 1921. The authors argues that the first two of these reforms were very well thought out from the scientific point of view and calculated but absolutely disregarded opinions and notions of the peasantry. These reforms were carried on by a clumsy and cumbersome bureaucratic apparatus and by violent means. Thus their implementation was delayed and their were doomed to failure. Reform of 1861 became a prologue to revolution of 1905 and Stolypin’s reform became a prologue to revolution of 1917. The Decree on Land was composed on the basis of village general meetings' resolutions that were made by peasants themselves. The Decree met and satisfied peasants' interests. That made it possible to carry out redistribution of land in a few months and thus to settle the land issue, even if by cruel methods. The same should be said of the NEP. The NEP which took into account demands of the peasantry allowed drawing Russia out of the profound crisis in the shortest time. According to the author these historical lessons have not been understood by the present day Russian reformers. The fact to a considerable extent explains the low efficiency of these reforms.