The Question of the Economic Structure of the Rusins of Bessarabia in the 19th – beginning of the 20th Century

The economic activity of the Rusins of Bessarabia in the 19th – beginning of the 20th C. is analyzed in the article. Since the Middle Ages the main aspect of the economic activity of the Rusins, who lived in the Carpatho-Dniestrovian Lands, was animal husbandry (herding). In 1812 part of the Moldavian Principality, the Pruth-Dniestrovian Lands, was united to Russia and received the name Bessarabia. In Bessarabia at the beginning of the 20th C. there were over 270 000 Rusins (Rusnaks) who comprised more than 1/8 of the population of the province. The majority of the Rusins lived in the Khotin district. In the19th and beginning of the 20th C. the main occupation of the Rusins of Bessarabia was agriculture, market gardening and horticulture. A number of subsidiary folk crafts became widespread. Because of the shortage of land, the role of cattle breeding and herding was lost, which earlier had a significant role in the life of the Rusins