the ket were incorporated into the russian state in the 17th century. their efforts to resist were futile as the russians deported them to different places to break up their resistance. this also broke up their strictly organized patriarchal social system and their way of life disintegrated. the ket people ran up huge debts with the russians. some died of famine, others of diseases introduced from europe. by the 19th century, the kets could no longer survive without food support from the russian state.