Standard of Living in Small County Towns during the "White Siberia" Period (using Mariinsk as an example)

Identificator

EDN: FIVJWK ; УДК: 94(571.1)

Authors

Sukhachev Egor Vladimirovich, postgraduate student in Russian History, Federal Research Center for Coal and Coal Chemistry, Siberian Branch of the Russian Academy of Sciences. Russia, Kemerovo. E-mail: suha4evegor@yandex.ru

Journal

HERALD OF HUMANITARIAN EDUCATION №1 (41), 2026

Section

NATIONAL HISTORY

Pages

46-52

Abstract

This research article examines the standard of living in small county towns in Western Siberia. The relevance of this study is largely due to the prevalence of studies on standard of living and the factors influencing it in large cities of Western Siberia. The purpose of this study is to examine factors influencing the lives of residents in small county towns through the lens of periodicals and archival sources. Furthermore, the subsistence minimum indicator is used to examine changes in standard of living. Its composition is also provided based on periodicals. In the article, the author also examines the ratio of the official subsistence minimum to the official subsistence minimum. Information published in periodicals and actual calculations were conducted based on the cost of food products available on the local market, as well as other expenses (rent, laundry, cultural entertainment, clothing, etc.) that were included in the subsistence minimum. The author of this article concludes that the influence of various factors, such as the fuel and food crisis, led to a deterioration in the standard of living of city residents and, as a result, an increase in real expenditures on essential goods. Increases in salaries for various professions by the government of A. V. Kolchak did not improve the situation. The dire situation associated with the declining standard of living of Mariinsk residents persisted until the fall of the White regime in December 1919.

Keywords

everyday life subsistence minimum White Siberia Mariinsk

Recieved

20.10.2025

Published

03.06.2026

References

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