Крестьянское коневодство Российской империи во второй половине XIX — начале XX века: историографический аспект

Abstract

This study is an attempt at a historiographical analysis of research works into the history of peasant horse breeding in the Russian Empire in the second half of the 19th — early 20th century. The work delineates historiographical periods, identifies the focal points covered in the literature and outlines avenues for future exploration. Monographs, dissertations and research articles reporting findings on peasant horse breeding served as sources of the study. Pre-Soviet, Soviet and modern historiographical periods are distinguished. Although the first works on the issue appeared in the pre-Soviet period, most were opinion pieces. In the Soviet period, the Marxist-Leninist ideology prompted historians to delve into the peasant economy. Yet, horse breeding by peasant farms was considered only in passing in works whose geographical scope extended to the entire territory of European Russia or groups of several regions. Modern historiography of the issue features studies emphasising the regional features of peasant horse breeding in provinces of the Russian Empire in the s period. However, the state of the peasant horse breeding economy in many provinces of Russia has received little scholarly attention in the country, alongside comparative analysis of peasant horse breeding across regions or exploration of how central departments, zemstvos and public organisations contributed to the modernisation of the industry.