Trade activity as a form of social elevator for mountain residents of the north-eastern Caucasus in the second half of the 19th century

Introduction. In the second half of the 19th century, the north-eastern Caucasus entered a new phase of its development after Russia strengthened its position there, consistently introducing the region into the system of political, socio-cultural and economic structures of the empire. Local mountain peoples had to not only rethink the new circumstances of life, but also look for their place in them. The new conditions simultaneously provided new opportunities for those who dared to go beyond the established framework of the previous tradition, sought to strengthen the financial situation of their families, achieve a higher social status, using the moment of the opened “window of opportunity”.

Materials and methods. The study is based on the analysis and comprehension of the works of famous Russian historians-experts of the Caucasus and ethnographers representing various periods of the development of Russian historiography, devoted to the study of the socioeconomic, cultural and political conditions for the development of the North Caucasus in the second half of the 19th century, and was based on the principles of historicism and scientific objectivity. The author analyzes the prerequisites and factors that contributed to the consolidation of the institution of trade in the mountain environment. The appeal to the scientific works of specific researchers was determined not only by the richness of their works with diverse factual material, but also by their comprehensive insight into the essence of the processes that took place, as well as the proximity of some of them to the ethnocultural world of the Chechen and Dagestan peoples.

Analysis. From the point of view of A.I. Khazbulatov, an almost insurmountable obstacle for people who decided to take advantage of the opened “window of opportunity” and made attempts to integrate into the processes of the new existence offered to the mountain residents by the authorities of the Russian Empire was the negative reaction of their relatives and fellow villagers, which threatened them with great trouble. Because of this, it was necessary to act extremely carefully and choose such fields that simultaneously contributed to the implementation of multi-vector tasks without causing rejection in the socio-cultural environment, which remained committed to tradition. According to the named researcher, such a field could be trade. Therefore, the trade field became the most accessible and effective means for a large number of mountain residents in solving the problems of material prosperity and achieving social prestige. H.-M. Khashaev and E.M. Dalgat share a similar opinion. Based on the opinions of I. Blaramberg, V.K. Gardanov, O.V. Marggraf and Ya.Z. Akhmadov, the author of the article concludes that for the mountain residents, trade became a social event and a breakthrough into a new life, motivated them to new value aspirations, and was a means for building positive relationships with other people.

Results. In this case, trade also acted as an accessible “social lift” into a new life for many representatives of the mountain peoples, allowing them to acquire the desired level of well-being and achieve prestigious statuses in the new paradigm of social structure encouraged by the imperial authorities.

1. Aganesova DV, Suzdaltseva IA. Armenian communities of Dagestan in the 18th-19th centuries. Makhachkala: Peoples of Dagestan, 2007. 244 p. (In Russ.).

2. Akhmedov YaZ, Khasmagomadov EKh. History of Chechnya in the 19th-20th centuries. Moscow: Pulse, 2005. 996 p. (In Russ.).

3. Blaramberg I. Caucasian manuscript. Stavropol: Book publishing house, 1992. 240 p. (In Russ.).

4. Most humble report of the head of the Terek region and the acting ataman of the Terek Cossack army for 1899. Vladikavkaz: Typography regional government of the Terek region, 1900. 106 p. (In Russ.).

5. Gadzhiev TV. On the issue of private entrepreneurship in the context of traditional Dagestan. Industrial'naya ekonomika. 2022;6:97-102. (In Russ.).

6. Gardanov VK. Socio-economic transformations in Culture and life of the peoples of the North Caucasus (1917-1967). Moscow: Nauka, 1968. p. 7-57. (In Russ.).

7. Dalgat EM. City and urban life in Dagestan in the second half of the 19th - early 20th centuries. Makhachkala: Mavraev Publishing House, 2015. 256 p. (In Russ.).

8. Ilyasova AA., Grankin YuYu. Trade factor in the system of political and economic development of the North Caucasus in the 18th - first half of the 19th centuries. Pyatigorsk: PGLU, 2013. 224 p. (In Russ.).

9. History of the peoples of the North Caucasus (late 18th century – 1917). Moscow: Nauka, 1988. 659 p. (In Russ.).

10. Marggraf OV. Essays on the handicraft industry of the North Caucasus. Moscow: S.V. Lepeshkin Publishing House; 1882. 288 p. (In Russ.).

11. Nakhshumov I.R. Economic consequences of the annexation of Dagestan to Russia. Makhachkala, 1956. 157 p. (In Russ.).

12. Terek calendar for 1901. Vladikavkaz: Terek regional statistical committee, 1900. 393 p. (In Russ.).

13. Khazbulatov AI. Development of Industry and Formation of the Working Class in Checheno-Ingushetia (late 19th - early 20th centuries). Moscow: Delo, 1994. 126 p. (In Russ.).

14. Khasbulatov AI. Establishment of Russian Administration in Chechnya (second half of the 19th - early 20th centuries). Moscow: Rus, 2001. 238 p. (In Russ.).

15. Khashaev H.-M. Occupations of the Population of Dagestan in the 19th Century. Makhachkala, 1959. 116 p. (In Russ.).

16. Schrader H. Economic Anthropology. St. Petersburg: Petersburg Renaissance, 1999. 192 p. (In Russ.).