On the level of literacy of the population Kostroma and Yaroslavl provinces in the late 19th – early 20th centuries

The reforms carried out in Russia in the 1860-70s contributed to the industrial development of the country, but along with the changes in the economy changes in the socio-cultural sphere were no less large-scale. Due to the mass mobility of the population after the abolition of serfdom, representatives of different estates were involved in the general socio-cultural movement. One of the important indicators of the social modernisation of Russian society included the changed level of literacy of the population, caused by the need for competent personnel for the growing industry, transport, communications and management. Using the example of Kostroma and Yaroslavl provinces, the article shows the dynamics of changes in the literacy rate of the population in the late 19th – early 20th centuries which exceeded all-Russian indicators, both for urban and rural populations and was associated with the successful implementation of state policy in the field of education, the consequences of the introduction of the new Military Charter as of 1874 and the peculiarities of the socio-economic development of the provinces associated with the developed craftsmen’s internal migration.