ELITE ALE BURGHEZIEI COMERCIAL-INDUSTRIALE DIN BASARABIA (1812-1868)

Valentin TOMULEŢ, Sorin GRAJDARI Universitatea de Stat din Moldova

Abstract

ELITE OF THE COMMERCIAL-INDUSTRIAL BOURGEOISIE FROM BESSARABIA (1812-1868) In this article, based on the published monographic literature and unpublished archival sources, the authors make a brief description of the concept of elite and by examining the Armenian and Greek wholesale merchants raise the issue of the commercial elite of Bessarabia, which was formed shortly after its annexation to the Russian Empire in 1812. The authors state that the genesis and evolution of the Bessarabian bourgeoisie in general, and the commercial-industrial in particular, was influenced by multiple factors, both economic and political, both internal and external. A special place in this respect belongs to the immigration of allogen merchants to Bessarabia – Armenians, Greek, Jews, Bulgarians, and those from the interior provinces of Russia, many of whom settled in the province for permanent residence, filling the ranks of the commercial bourgeoisie of Bessarabia as a consequence of national-commercial policy promoted by the imperial government in the newly annexed territory. Keywords: elite, commercial bourgeoisie, commercial capital, trade and customs policy, guild structure, the Tsarist Empire, Bessarabia.