Skorokhod O. Russian Government’s Economic policy in the South of Ukraine in the pre-reform period: historiography

In the thesis for the first time in domestic and foreign historical science a comprehensive historiographic study of Russian government’s economic policy in the South of Ukraine in the pre-reform period was carried out. A historiographical analysis of the evaluations of economic policy’s place and role in the historical and socio-economic development of the region is conducted. Clarified that this topic in historiographical terms, appears multifaceted and complex with the complex issues of Russian history of the 2nd half of the XVIII – 1st half of the XIX centuries, combining the development of knowledge of the law, economy and history. The degree of scientific development of the problem has been determined. The main stages, directions and peculiarities of the scientific development of the topic have been analyzed. The source complex has been formulated, systematized and classified. The theoretical and methodological foundations of the research have been clarified. The literature that analyzed is divided in three fields: colonization of the Ukrainian Steppe, spreading the Russian financial and tax system on Ukrainian territory and the formation of Southern Ukrainian lands as part of Russian trade. The literature in each of the fields is structured according to the chronological principle and is divided into six periods: 1) the 2nd half of the XVIII – early XIX century; 2) the middle of the XIX century; 3) the last quarter of the XIX – early XX century; 4) the 1920th – the beginning of the 1930's; 5) the mid-1930's – the 2nd half of the 1980's 6) the turn of the 1980's and 1990's and continues to this day. The development of scientific interpretations of various aspects of the theme was discovered and traced in dynamics, changes were considered in its research at different historiographic stages, the main factors that influenced the development of knowledge were determined. The completeness and objectivity of the reflection in the historiography of the complex of scientific literature and sources on the given problem are considered. The achievements of scientists in substantiating the policy of settling the region are studied. The contribution of researchers to the understanding of Russian imperial policy in the South of Ukraine is determined. The peculiarities of accumulation of knowledge about the financial policy of the tsarist government in the region are revealed. Identified and traced the factors that influenced the development of knowledge on the topic. On the basis of the performed historiographical analysis, the aspects of the topic which are not sufficiently studied are outlined, prospects of further researches are determined.