Population of Bolshederbetovskii Ulus of Kalmykia during Transition to Settled Life in Second Half of 19th Century

Abstract

This article analyzes the economic state of Kalmyk society in the Bolshederbetovskii Ulus of Kalmykia during the intensive process of transition to settled life. This transition led to significant structural changes in the economic system of nomads. The author provides a comparative analysis of the changes in animal husbandry practices among the Kalmyks in the Bolshederbetovskii Ulus during the second half of the 19th century. The gradual development of agriculture in Kalmyk society is also examined. The main conclusion of this article is that throughout the second half of the 19th century, there was a gradual impoverishment of the nomadic Kalmyk population due to changes in their traditional way of life and a decrease in available grazing land, which was a crucial aspect of their economy. As a result, the majority of ordinary nomads became part of the rural proletariat and served as a source of cheap labor in the region. The expansion of the all-Russian market and the inclusion of the steppe regions of the North Caucasus, as well as the settlement of peasants on these lands, along with the active policies of the Tsarist government towards nomads and transition to settled life, shaped significant structural changes in the economic and social structure of nomadic society.