Land-Legal Relations and Sedentarization of Nogais in Second Half of 19^th — Early 20^th Centuries

Abstract

On the basis of archival materials and special historical literature, land-legal relations among the Nogais in the second half of the 19th — early 20th centuries are considered. The relevance of the problem stated in the article lies in the fact that land and legal relations among the Nogais of the region are poorly understood. The ways of implementing the agrarian policy of the Russian government in the Eastern Ciscaucasia are described on the example of the Nogais. It is argued that administrative pressure occupied a prominent place among the methods of influencing the nomadic population. It is noted that at the same time, financial assistance played a significant role in attracting nomadic Nogais to a settled way of life. It is clarified that finances played a role in attracting the poor population to change their lifestyle. It is concluded that, despite the difficulties, the agrarian reform in the territory of the plain Ciscaucasia predetermined the transition of a significant part of the representatives of the Nogai community to settled agriculture and animal husbandry. It is emphasized that in the course of the agrarian reform the Nogai community has undergone a significant transformation. It is noted that a smaller part of the Nogai society still retained a nomadic lifestyle, but for short distances.

Keywords

• land and legal relations
• caucasian war
• modernization
• nogais
• ciscaucasia
• reforms
• russian empire
• transformation