Migration and the Economic Situation in the Central Ukraine at the End of the Nineteenth Century

The aim of the paper is to explore relation between migration and economic position in light of the microdata of the first and at the same time last modern census ennumarated data in Imperial Russia. While in general census lists were destroyed after the census was enumerated, original data for Central Ukraine, mainly the Kiev Province and Kamiantes Podilsky District is likely preserved. Particular attention will be payed to differences between Jews and Christians in traditional environment of shtetl. This small “jewish” towns formerly owned by Polish noblemen economically flourished in the first half of the 19^th century, but later gradually fell into decay. With industrialization, particularly, development of paved road system and inpairment of Polish noblemen shtetl economy could not at the end of 19^th century compete with large cities, such as Kiev or Odessa. Nonetheless, Jews still predominated in trade, based on interregional and international social network and migration. It`s believed that Jewish migration - framed as intrinsic part of Jewish culture in not lesser extent than shtetl poverty – stimulated economical activity. The census of 1897 provides unique empirical data allowing the researcher to analyze the relationship between migration and economic position. Key questions to be touched in the presentation are: what was the professional structure of the Jews and non-Jews? What were the differences in migration patterns of these two groups? How migration influenced professional career? Did it foster economic advance?