BALTA COUNTY IN THE POST-REFORM PERIOD (1862–1872): FEATURES OF SOCIO-ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT, DEMOGRAPHY, AND CLASS STRATIFICATION

The purpose of the study based on statistical and documentary sources is to investigate the socio-economic and demographic state of the Balta County of Podillia province after the abolition of serfdom at the interval of 1862–1872. We will also try to find out whether the peasant reform influenced the process of the emergence of capitalist relations in the country and trace how it affected the economic state of the region. The research methodology is based on historical, statistical, comparative, chronological, and logical methods. The scientific novelty is to ask the question of the need to study the socio-economic development and demographic status of the land of Right-Bank Ukraine in the post-reform period based on archival sources and documents, reassessment of certain provisions in history, which is before the development of capitalism. Conclusions. Thus, in the territory of Balta County after the peasant reform of 1861, there were no significant changes in both social and economic life. The leading industry was agriculture, which was occupied by most of the population of the region. Most of the land continued to belong to the feudal lords, who took a wait-and-see attitude during the study period. The absence ofthe market did not prompt the feudal lords and peasants to increase agricultural production. Almost everything grown was used to meet their own needs. The same peasants were engaged in craft, in their spare time. Production of goods was based mainly on manual labor using outdated technologies.