The Development of Urban and Peasant Trade in Russia at the End of the XVIII Century. (Case-Study of the Vladimir Viceroyalty)

Abstract

The article examines the development of domestic trade in the Russian Empire in the context of the provincial reform of 1775, using the example of the Vladimir Viceroyalty. The new administrative-territorial unit lacked uyezd (county) centers. Seven villages and settlements were renamed cities. However, according to the economic situation, the locals clearly did not correspond to their new status. The government found itself in a dilemma when, on the one hand, it was forced to support the class rights of merchants and philistines, limiting peasant trade geographically and in the assortment of goods. On the other hand, it could not but take advantage of the economic activity of the peasants, luring out the richest of them to the cities, thereby contributing to the development of peasant trade.