The trustee corps of the Kalmyk steppe of the second half of the XIX century - beginning of XX century (based on the materials of the National Archive of the Republic of Kalmykia)

The management system of the Kalmyk steppe of the Astrakhan region that lay on the outskirts of the Russian empire went on being reformed in the second half of the 19 century. In 1867 the Chamber of State Property was reorganized and the Ordyn Chamber was renamed into Control over the Kalmyk People. The aim of the imperial policy was to involve distant regions into the integrated system of management. The bureaucrats structure was considered to be a basis for the policy. The social and demographic peculiarities of the Trustees’ Board of the Kalmyk steppe are under consideration in the present article. Local branches of the Trustees’ Board in Kalmyk districts in the period between the second half of the 19 century and the beginning of the 20 century are paid a particular attention. The social history toolkit has been applied to the carrying out the present research. The prosopographical method has been used to analyze documents of the National Archive of the Kalmyk Republic in order to track the life and career development of the members of local branches of the Trustees’ Board in Kalmyk districts in the period between the second half of the 19^th century and the beginning of the 20^th century. The statistical analysis has been made to create a collective image of the bureaucratic body of the executive power in the Kalmyk steppe. The author has used the list of district trustees from 1867 to 1917 that was a part of the Unified list of all officials in the Russian empire. The documentary source was an official reference book complied through a calendar year. The list under consideration underwent insignificant additions. Among the social and demographic peculiarities of the Trustees’ Board of the Kalmyk steppe the social class and religious background are paid a close attention. The author draws a conclusion that the local body of management system was considered to be a start for the further career promotion for every involved person even not a highly qualified one. The distance from the federal center, climate characteristics and local management system contributed to the peculiarities of the body. Some officials took into account the features of the local culture and got professional education to carry out their duties efficiently. The author declares no conflicts of interests.

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