NON-INDIGENOUS PEOPLES IN TURKESTAN AT THE BEGINNING OF THE 20TH CENTURY AND THEIR INFLUENCE ON THE SOCIO-POLITICAL AND ECONOMIC LIFE OF THE COUNTRY (ON THE EXAMPLE OF EAST SLAVIC PEOPLES)

SCHOLAR ISSN: 2181-4147 VOLUME 3 | ISSUE 12 | 2025 https://t.me/openscholar Multidisciplinary Scientific Journal Noyabr, 2025 33 DOI: https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.17543288 NON-INDIGENOUS PEOPLES IN TURKESTAN AT THE BEGINNING OF THE 20TH CENTURY AND THEIR INFLUENCE ON THE SOCIOPOLITICAL AND ECONOMIC LIFE OF THE COUNTRY (ON THE EXAMPLE OF EAST SLAVIC PEOPLES) Norbekov Sukhrob Farkhod o‘g‘li Tashkent University of Information Technologies named after Muhammad al-Khwarizmi Assistant of the Department of Physical Education and Humanities E-mаil: [email protected] ANNOTATION The article analyzes the presence of East Slavic peoples in the territory of Turkestan in the first half of the 20th century and their interaction with local peoples. The specific social, political and economic impact of Slavic peoples, their role in introducing changes to Turkestan society, as well as the roots of their integration, migration and contradictions with local peoples are studied. During the Russian Empire and later the Soviet Union, relations, cultural integration, economic and political influence of East Slavic peoples with neighboring territories developed at a high level, leaving an imprint on the socio-economic structure of Turkestan society. The article first of all provides a detailed analysis of the processes of Slavization of the territory of Turkestan, their mutual integration and contradictions. Keywords: the question of statehood at the beginning of the 20th century, Turkestan ASSR, indigenous Uzbeks, East Slavic peoples, Soviet power, migration, interethnic relations, economic life, cultural integration. SCHOLAR ISSN: 2181-4147 VOLUME 3 | ISSUE 12 | 2025 https://t.me/openscholar Multidisciplinary Scientific Journal Noyabr, 2025 34 INTRODUCTION The territory of Turkestan in the first quarter of the 20th century had a great influence on historical processes with its geopolitical significance, economic development and changes in socio-economic systems. The colonial policy of the Russian Empire and later the revolutionary transformations of the Soviet Union radically changed society in the territory of Turkestan. These changes are associated, in particular, with the migration of East Slavic peoples to the territory of Turkestan and the economic, political and cultural influence of these peoples. The new political structure of Turkestan, its economic integration, interethnic relations and interactions with the East Slavic peoples constitute a very complex and interesting topic with its historical aspects. The influence of the Russian Empire on the territory of Turkestan and changes in their economic policy directly affected the lives of the local population. The economic structure of Turkestan, which was mainly an agrarian society, was rebuilt on the basis of industrialization and capitalist systems with the arrival of the East Slavs. The Russian Empire’s monopoly on the production and trade system, as well as the construction of new infrastructure, railways and industrial facilities, brought about major changes in the local economy. The new technologies, industrial methods and production methods brought by the Slavs created new opportunities for the local population. However, these changes often conflicted with the interests of the local population and increased economic dependence and ethnic inequality. For example, the land system and the management of labor resources led to the economic integration of many nationalities. At the same time, the new economic ties of the Eastern Slavs also strengthened trade relations with new goods, products and markets. METHODS Those resettled in the territory of Turkestan were citizens of the Russian Empire: from various regions of Ukraine and southern Russia: Kharkov, Poltava, Kiev, the Don Army Region, Yekaterinoslav, Saratov, Samara, Voronezh, Tula, Astrakhan, Kursk, SCHOLAR ISSN: 2181-4147 VOLUME 3 | ISSUE 12 | 2025 https://t.me/openscholar Multidisciplinary Scientific Journal Noyabr, 2025 35 Stavropol, Orenburg, etc., as well as from Siberia, Northern Russia, the Caucasus. Their ethnic composition was largely composed of East Slavic peoples: Russians, Ukrainians, and Belarusians, since according to the "Regulations on the Administration of the Turkestan Territory", only "Russian citizens of the Christian religion belonging to the category of rural residents" were allowed to be resettled[1;1]. Almost all the Russian-Ukrainian villages that were resettled in the Fergana Valley, which was the main part of Turkestan, were located in the northern, northeastern and eastern foothills of the valley (Mayak and Kurshab volosts of Osh uyezd; Bazarkurgan, Jalalabad, Kogart, Uzgan, Yassi volosts of Andijan uyezd; Barish volost of Namangan uyezd). The agricultural conditions in these places were typical for Russian and Ukrainian farmers, and farming was possible without artificial irrigation. Only the village of Russkoye was founded on the site of several villages in the Mingtepa volost of Andijan uyezd, and the settlers received a large amount of irrigated land here. However, the bulk of the European population that arrived in Fergana settled in cities, since the Russian administration, industrial and commercial enterprises were located there. For example, in 1907, there were 24,346 Russians (Ukrainians and Belarusians) in the Fergana region, of whom 14,722, or about twothirds, lived in cities, while only 9,624 lived in rural areas. This remained the case even after the intensification of the resettlement of peasants. As in all cities of Turkestan, new districts, mainly inhabited by Europeans, appeared in the cities of Fergana[1;2]. RESULTS The Eastern Slavs, especially the Russians, brought their culture, language, customs, and values to the territory of Turkestan. The local population, in turn, came into contact with new ethnic groups. This process gave rise to cultural differences, but over time, conflicts and conflicts also arose. The interaction between the Eastern Slavs and the local peoples led to significant changes not only in social structures, but also in education, religious beliefs, and the labor market. The East Slavic peoples brought with them new cultural values. Among them, the Orthodox religion, Russian art, musical and architectural traditions were widespread. The cultural structures, science, SCHOLAR ISSN: 2181-4147 VOLUME 3 | ISSUE 12 | 2025 https://t.me/openscholar Multidisciplinary Scientific Journal Noyabr, 2025 36 and educational systems brought by the Slavs had an impact on the local peoples. The Russian language and education caused a rise in the local population, which contributed to the development of new generations in the field of science. The process of cultural integration also caused changes in the territory of Turkestan by introducing new spiritual values and scientific approaches. This turned these peoples into groups that occupied an important place in the socio-economic system. In terms of cultural influence, these peoples, especially the Russians, brought their culture, science, and technology. These changes affected the economic and cultural development of Turkestan, but at the same time, social and cultural conflicts with the local culture also arose. In particular, despite the intensification of migration processes at the beginning of the 20th century and the emergence of numerous Russian-Ukrainian villages and hamlets, and the increase in the European population in the cities, their total number in Fergana was small. As of 1910, the European, mainly Russian and Ukrainian, population here was slightly more than 2% [1;3]. However, this small group dominated and implemented its will and policy, which naturally increased the hostility of the local population towards all Russians. This was also due to the discriminatory policy of the Tsarist government towards non-Christians and the change of the official language of state institutions to Russian. Even the requests and complaints of the local population were accepted only in Russian, for which the local population was forced to use the services of secretaries, interpreters or proxies. The migration of the Eastern Slavs to the territory of Turkestan had a great impact, especially in the economic sphere. The construction of the railway, the emergence of new industries, and the introduction of new technologies brought the economy of Turkestan to a new level. By strengthening the government and administrative system, the Russians took full control of the political structure and power in this region. At the beginning of the 20th century, the economy of Turkestan was mainly associated with agriculture, crafts, and trade, but with the arrival of large numbers of Eastern Slavs, innovations were introduced into these areas. For example, local farmers began to use SCHOLAR ISSN: 2181-4147 VOLUME 3 | ISSUE 12 | 2025 https://t.me/openscholar Multidisciplinary Scientific Journal Noyabr, 2025 37 a plow with a tine instead of a plow, a stone roller for threshing, and Russian windmills. Agricultural crops such as potatoes, white-headed and cauliflower, tomatoes, sugar beets, and oats appeared in Turkestan. In Fergana, and in particular in the Namangan region, an attempt was made to introduce fine-wool sheep breeding by K.V. Solovyov, the founder of Russian factory work in Turkestan[1;4]. New technologies, production methods, and trade relations brought by the Slavs helped to renew the economy of Turkestan. However, such changes had a negative impact on the customs and economic life of the local population, since many sectors of the local economy were monopolized by the Russians. As a result, the local population often fought for their freedom and resources. DISCUSSION The number of Russian workers who migrated to the industrial, railway and other infrastructure sectors in the Fergana region reached 5,000 in the 1900s. These workers worked mainly in cities and industrial centers such as Kokand, Andijan and Namangan. Russians and local workers worked together on the construction of the railway in Fergana. The ties between Russian and local workers were further strengthened during the 1905 revolution. During these revolutionary events, cooperation between Russian and local workers intensified, and they jointly demanded social and political freedom. This process, in turn, gave rise to major conflicts between ethnic groups and disagreements between political forces. It is impossible not to dwell on the influence of these peoples on the politics of Turkestan, since, of course, the political activity of the East Slavic peoples was mainly associated with the system of government of the Russian Empire. The political power of Russia affected the territory of Turkestan, and these changes gave rise to political contradictions among the local population. The Slavs, in particular, actively participated in the embassies, political and military structures of the Russian Empire. These processes led to mutual integration and political conflicts between ethnic groups. Although the East Slavic peoples tried to impose Russian power among the local population, many conflicts and social problems arose. SCHOLAR ISSN: 2181-4147 VOLUME 3 | ISSUE 12 | 2025 https://t.me/openscholar Multidisciplinary Scientific Journal Noyabr, 2025 38 Social and ethnic relations between the East Slavs and the local population were associated with several factors. The wide distribution of the Slavs in the territory of Turkestan is explained, first of all, by political and economic factors. In relations with the local peoples, contradictions, cultural differences and economic inequalities arose. The process of interaction and integration between the East Slavic peoples and the local population was complex and full of contradictions. Economic, political and cultural changes took place between the Turkic peoples and the Slavs. The strong political systems and economic positions of the Slavs often limited the local peoples socially and economically. However, in many cases, it can be said that good relations were established and integration processes were also carried out. The process of migration of Eastern Slavs to the territory of Turkestan, and in particular to the Fergana Valley, intensified during the First World War, and during this period, when refugees from the western regions of Russia began to arrive, it can be said that another influx of Russians began to appear in Fergana. In a short time, the number of refugees from Turkestan increased sharply. As of November 19, 1915, 21,000 people settled in the Fergana region - almost equal to the number of Russians in the valley. The Fergana region, like Turkestan as a whole, was not ready to accept such a large number of refugees. Diseases, an unfamiliar climate, poor social conditions led to a sharp increase in the high mortality rate among them. All this caused the government to change its policy towards such refugees. So, the government issued an order to resettle such refugees from Turkestan to other provinces of Russia. As a result, by June 1, 1916, only 2,464 refugees remained in the Fergana region[1;5]. Unlike South Africa, Rhodesia, Kenya, or Algeria, the East Slavs of Turkestan did not develop a distinct creole political and cultural identity that might one day challenge metropolitan control. One reason for this was that the Russian Empire did not create separate colonial states that could have served as alternative centers of territorial allegiance. Another reason was that only fifty years had passed between the arrival of the first European colonial population in South Central Asia and the replacement of the tsarist regime by the Soviet Union. The new regime, however, SCHOLAR ISSN: 2181-4147 VOLUME 3 | ISSUE 12 | 2025 https://t.me/openscholar Multidisciplinary Scientific Journal Noyabr, 2025 39 pursued a completely different policy in the Central Asian regions, based on the logic of nation-building. Nevertheless, in the turbulent years between the 1916 uprising and the establishment of Soviet power after 1920, the actions of the colonial population showed faint echoes of a unilateral declaration of independence. During the years of the revolution, ethnic wars were fully manifested in Turkestan. The colonial population, taking advantage of the punitive measures taken after the 1916 uprising, began to seize land at the expense of the local population in the Syrdarya and Yetisuv regions. When the tsarist government completely collapsed in 1917, the colonial population, under the guise of “Bolshevism,” sought to appropriate the privileges of the former official ruling class. The Soviets that claimed power in Tashkent, Verniy, and other cities of Central Asia consisted almost exclusively of Russian soldiers and railway workers. They refused to accept Muslims, considering them backward and lacking a proletariat, and responded violently to attempts by Muslim intellectuals to establish their own autonomous governments in the region[2;1]. CONCLUSION If we turn to the role of the East Slavic peoples in the Turkestan ASSR and their relations with the local population in the last years of the first quarter of the 20th century, during the civil war of 1918-1922, the East Slavic population played an important political and military role in the Turkestan ASSR. Their share was especially significant in the Samarkand and Syrdarya regions. The Soviet authorities encouraged the migration of the population from the famine-stricken regions of Russia to Turkestan, which affected the demographic composition of the local population. The Soviet authorities were initially forced to use the Russian and Ukrainian administrative and military personnel in Turkestan, since there was a shortage of local personnel. Later, the Bolsheviks, evaluating the former imperial administration and military units composed of East Slavs as an “unreliable element”, pursued a policy of excluding them from society[3;1]. In 1918-1924, the East Slavic peoples formed an important demographic and social group in the Turkestan ASSR. Most of them migrated to this region due to the SCHOLAR ISSN: 2181-4147 VOLUME 3 | ISSUE 12 | 2025 https://t.me/openscholar Multidisciplinary Scientific Journal Noyabr, 2025 40 civil war and famine in Russia. In 1920, the Turkestan ASSR had a total population of 5.2 million, of which 536,671 were Russians, 4.7% were Ukrainians, and 0.2% were Belarusians[3;2]. An important aspect of Soviet national policy was the reshaping of the population structure of the Turkestan ASSR, and starting in 1921, thousands of East Slavs were resettled to Turkestan from the famine-stricken regions of Russia. The Soviet authorities aimed to settle this population "among the peasant population of the Syrdarya and Samarkand regions"[3;3]. This process had a significant impact on the ethnic composition of the Turkestan ASSR The policy of tolerance played an important role in maintaining social stability in the Turkestan ASSR. However, this process was sometimes carried out artificially, which led to interethnic conflicts. Although the Soviets attempted to involve local ethnic groups in state administration, Slavic representatives were often appointed to leadership positions.[3;4] However, the Soviet government intensified its policy of class cleansing of society in the late 1920s and early 1930s. In this process, social groups considered "dangerous to the construction of a socialist society" were targeted.[4;1] In the first quarter of the 20th century, contacts between the local population and the East Slavic peoples in Turkestan were multifaceted, having a significant impact on the economic, cultural, and educational spheres. The policy of Russification and the establishment of Russian-language schools, in turn, strengthened the integration between the local population and the East Slavic peoples, but the success of this process largely depended on the reaction of the local peoples. Economic and cultural ties in the Fergana region helped to develop close relations with the East Slavic peoples in a changing social and political environment, which played an important role in the historical development of Turkestan. SCHOLAR ISSN: 2181-4147 VOLUME 3 | ISSUE 12 | 2025 https://t.me/openscholar Multidisciplinary Scientific Journal Noyabr, 2025 41 LIST OF REFERENCES 1. Gubaeva, S. S. (1991). The population of the Fergana Valley in the late 19th – early 20th centuries (ethnocultural processes). Tashkent: [n.p.], pp. 101–112. (In Russian) 2. Murtazayeva, R. (2020). Interethnic relations and tolerance in Uzbekistan. Tashkent: Go To Print. (In Uzbek) 3. Pugovkina, O. G. (2023). “Former people” in the social and political structure of the Sovietization of Turkestan society (1917–1930): History and sources. Tashkent: SANBOOK EXCLUSIVE PRINT. (In Russian) 4. Sahadeo, J. (2015). Peasant settlers and the "civilizing mission" in Russian Turkestan, 1865–1917. Journal of Imperial & Commonwealth History, 43(3), 387– 417. https://doi.org/10.1080/03086534.2015.1042460