Fair trade in Yakutia (the second half of the 19th - early 20th centuries)

The study presented the historical backgrounds to the fairs in Yakutia in the second half of the 19th - early 20th centuries. Based on the archives and various historical sources, the author analyzed fair trade arrangements in the North-East of Russia: dates, trade turnover of the main fairs, logistics, and freight traffic in the region. By a case study of summer Yakut fair, the research identified the structure of fair trade: administrative accounting and control, stock list, and dynamics of consumer demand. The paper revealed the importance of such trade in providing the necessary food and manufactured goods for people in the context of subsistence and semi-subsistence economy and the lack of important goods industry in the North-East of the country. The study demonstrated that the merchants of Yakutia were actively involved in trade and commerce development.