Noble economy of the Arapovs in the second half of XIX - the beginning of the XX century

In the article process of transformation of landowner economy in noble economy on the example of the Penza manors of the Arapovs is researched. It is revealed that during the post-reform period the nobility gradually lost the class benefits: the noblemen’s provision in society began to be determined mostly by its welfare, stay at a certain step of service hierarchy, communications, etc. Forming of a capitalist production and economic complex based on a manor «Voskresenskaya Lashma» began in the second half of the 19th century and continued up to revolutionary events of 1917. The first important steps in this converting activity were taken by Andrey Nikolaevich Arapov. His initiatives successfully continued by his eldest son, Ivan Andreevich Arapov, having turned the manor «Voskresenska Lashma» into diversified and high-profit agriculture, an effective multi-profile economic complex, into one of the centers of a noble capitalist entrepreneurship of Middle Volga area.