Changes in the strength of the merchants Vyatka province in the second half of the XIX century

The paper investigates the dynamics of the number of county merchants of Vyatka province in the second half of the XIX century, determines its role in the economic development of cities and provinces. The main factors determining demographic processes in the merchants surrounding were the processes caused by the capitalist modernization of Russian economy: the development of market relations and the intensification of commercial activity, changes in the Russian legislation in the sphere of business regulation, the corporatization of capital, changes in social class structure of Russian society.