A Suppressor of Tension or Judge or Official: The Peace Arbitrator in a Post-Serfdom Village

The article examines how the modern position of peace arbitrator, idea which was borrowed from ‘court arbitration’ functioning in Western world, emerged and used governance structure Russian Empire. It reveals role arbitrator administration transformation post-serfdom village governorates Vilnius, Kaunas, Hrodna. following stages activities arbitrators are distinguished: (1) 1861–1862, when local landowners chosen as managed village, (2) time after 1863–1864 uprising, attempts were made to turn arbitrators, who had replaced this role, into a tool Russification village. analysis independence cause conflicts with governorate authorities, police, military structures.