On the question of the standard of living of the bourgeoisie of Kursk in the first half of the 19th century

Relevance . An objective assessment of the standard of living of the tax-paying population of pre-reform Russia in Russian historical science, including its regional segment, needs further research. At the same time, the bourgeoisie, unlike the peasantry, was in the background. The purpose – based on the study of a wide range of different archival and printed sources, to give a comprehensive assessment of the living standards of the burghers of the city of Kursk in the late XVIII – first half of the XIX centuries. Objectives : based on the information available to the authors, try to move away from the stereotypes that have developed in the Soviet historical tradition, analyze information about various spheres of life of the burghers. Methodology . The article is based on the principles of objectivity and historicism. The lack of information that makes it possible to directly assess the standard of living of the burghers of Kursk required the use of a systematic approach, and the availability of anthropometric data, which are integral indicators, contributed to the use of statistical methods. Results . The issue of the well-being of ordinary residents of Kursk in the first half of the 19th century is studied on the basis of various sources that make it possible to highlight various spheres of life of the burghers. The authors provide specific evidence and quantitative data on food, occupations, property, sources of income and income, education and medical care for Kursk burghers. Of course, the problem presented has not been solved exhaustively, and what has been said does not agree with the assessments of the standard of living and living conditions of the bourgeoisie in the first half of the 19th century, which prevailed in Russian historical science. A reasonable assessment of the well-being of the burghers is given on the basis of anthropometric data obtained from sources introduced into scientific circulation for the first time. Conclusion . It was found that the average definitive height of the burghers generally corresponded to the AllRussian norm. This may indicate that the basic needs of the Kursk burghers were probably satisfied to a sufficient extent, corresponding to the level of socio-economic development of Russia in the first half of the 19th century.