N. M. Yadrintsev on the ethno-cultural interaction of peasants old believers of the russian altai with the aborigene population

Abstract

The purpose of the article is a textual content analysis of poorly researched fragments of the literary heritage of Nikolai Yadrintsev, the outstanding thinker, publicist, and ethnologist, who studied the economic activities, daily life, culture, and morals of the peasants Old Believers of the Russian Altai during his expeditions of the late 1870s — early 1880s. The main tools of the work are based on an interdisciplinary and civilizational approach to the topic covered. I focus on the original concept of N. Yadrintsev, who was the first one among all Russian researchers considering the problem of ethno-cultural interaction of the Old Believer and aboriginal population of the region from the standpoint of democratic humanism. At the same time, I focus on such worldview values, which are inherent in the Old Believer confessional group of the Russian population of the region, as religious tolerance, freedom, and enterprise. I conclude that the expeditionary impressions strengthened Yadrintsev's faith in the future success of the people's colonization of the Russian Altai. Peasant pioneers, according to the optimistic prediction of the thinker, could have free labor in free land. Unfortunately, this bold forecast did not come true.