The National Policy of the Tsarist Government and the National Composition of the Bourgeoisie in the Dnipro Region of Ukraine in the Second Half of the 19th and the Early 20th Century
The national policy of the tsarist government of the Russian Empire in the Dnipro region of Ukraine in the second half of the ХІХ – the early ХХ century is analyzed. It was directed to strengthen the empire; for reaching this purpose the tsarist government used denationalization and russification. The policy of the tsarist government can be characterized as differentiated with respect to different peoples. The tsarist government restricted some nationalities to the definition of places of residence and the choice of professions, for some nationalities the use of their native language was forbidden. Ukrainians were not considered as a separate ethnic group. Government circulars restricted the use of the native language and prohibited to print books in Ukrainian. The Ukrainians were not considered as a separate ethnos. In the circulars of the government the use of the native language was limited and printing of the literature in Ukrainian was forbidden. The rapid development of the Dnipro region of Ukraine was connected with the process of the Russian colonization due to the delivery of the workers from the central regions of Russia. Accordingly correlation of the Ukrainian and Russian population changed in this region. National composition of the bourgeoisie of that period in the Dnipro region of Ukraine can be described as multinational. Except Ukrainians, Russians, Jews and Poles there was a considerable part of foreign capitalists. Rich natural resources and development of industry attracted foreign capitalists, first of all Belgian, French, English and German ones. The tsarist government supported foreign businessmen, that invested capitals in industry, introduced technical innovations and experience of the developed countries. Foreign capitalists played an important role in modernization of industry of the Dnipro region of Ukraine and in transformation of it in the powerful center of mining and metallurgical industry.