Here's why:
* Peasant implies a low socioeconomic status, traditionally tied to agriculture.
* Wealthy contradicts the definition of a peasant.
While there might have been peasants who accumulated some wealth, they wouldn't be considered a distinct social class. Instead, they might be called:
* Prosperous peasant: This emphasizes their success within the peasant class.
* Landowner: If they owned a significant amount of land, this term would be appropriate.
* Merchant: If their wealth came from trade, this would be a fitting description.
Remember, the Russian social hierarchy was complex, and wealth could be derived from various sources beyond agriculture. Therefore, a more specific description is needed to accurately categorize a wealthy Russian peasant.