AT THE CROSSROADS OF THREE CIVILIZATIONS. THE ETHNOCULTURAL SITUATION AND REGULATION OF NATIONAL RELATIONS IN THE VILLAGE OF KALMYK BAZAAR IN THE 19TH - EARLY 20TH CENTURIES

Abstract

The article is devoted to the state national policy in the village of Kalmytsky Bazar in the 19th and early 20th centuries. It examines the goals and objectives of its creation, the regulatory function of the state in the village’s life, the formation of various national groups, the dynamics of their numbers, and interethnic relations. The article also shows the ethnic specialization in the economic sphere and the activities of ethno-religious communities in creating and preserving a religious and educational environment. The Kalmyk Bazaar was established by the authorities in order to involve the Kalmyks in trade and crafts, to ensure the profitable sale of Kalmyk livestock, and to provide intermediary services between the Kalmyks from various uluses who were employed in fishing and other industries, and their owners. The permanent population of the village was intended to consist of Kalmyks who were transitioning to a sedentary lifestyle, but from the very beginning, representatives of other ethnic groups settled in the village due to its convenient geographical location and the benefits of trade. As a result, the settlement became a melting pot of different ethnic groups. As a result, representatives of various ethnic groups belonging to three world civilizations - Buddhist, Muslim, and Orthodox-were concentrated in one settlement. The settlement of non-Kalmyk residents caused concern among the authorities, who believed that it would lead to the outflow of Kalmyks from the settlement and make it impossible to achieve government objectives. As a result, the authorities prohibited the settlement of non-Kalmyk residents and attempted to restrict their economic activities. Prohibitive and restrictive measures against non-Kalmyk individuals and protectionist measures against Kalmyks helped to maintain the positive growth dynamics of the Kalmyk population in the village, strengthen its position in areas of activity that were unfamiliar to former nomads, and promote the adoption of a sedentary lifestyle. At the same time, it should be noted that non-Kalmyk ethnic groups who settled permanently in Kalmyk Bazar adapted to the local realities and established stable ethno-religious communities.