Russian Socio-Economic and Demographic Expansion in the Principality of Odishi (Samegrelo) in The 30s and 60s of the 19th Century According to the Diaries of Foreign Confidants

Black Sea Journal of Public and Social Science doi: 10.52704/bssocialscience.875417 Open Access Journal e-ISSN: 2618 – 6640 Research Article Volume 4 - Issue 2: 71-74 / July 2021 RUSSIAN SOCIO-ECONOMIC AND DEMOGRAPHIC EXPANSION IN THE PRINCIPALITY OF ODISHI (SAMEGRELO) IN THE 30S AND 60S OF THE 19TH CENTURY ACCORDING TO THE DIARIES OF FOREIGN CONFIDANTS Lia GULORDAVA1* St. Andrew the First-Called Georgian University of the Patriarchate of Georgia, 0179, Tbilisi, Georgia 1 Abstract: In the travel diaries of foreign confidants we have found the reasons for the high degree of poverty and socio-economic decline described in Odishi's life in the structure of the conquest plan of a low political culture empire. The Russian Empire is waiting for an opportune moment in its ambush position to torture the Odishi principality with its socio-economic, demographic policies, de facto and de jure, and turn the ancient trade routes between Georgia and Europe and Asia, namely the Turkish Sea into the Black Sea. At least in part, it turned into a lake in Russia. Under these conditions, the empire fully described the natural resources of Odishi, made it a raw material supplement, and applied its demographic transformation as well. Keywords: Odishi (Georgia), Black Sea, Russian Empire, Confidents *Corresponding author: St. Andrew the First-Called Georgian University of the Patriarchate of Georgia, 0179, Tbilisi, Georgia E mail: (L. GULORDAVA) Lia GULORDAVA https://orcid.org/0000-0003-2391-5898 Received: February 06, 2021 Accepted: February 12, 2021 Published: July 01, 2021 Cite as: Gulordava L. 2021. Russian socio-economic and demographic expansion in the principality of Odishi (Samegrelo) in the 30s and 60s of the 19th century according to the diaries of foreign confidants. BSJ Pub Soc Sci, 4(2): 71-74. 1. Introduction From the moment the Russian government came under the rule of Odishi in 1803, it aimed at the external, political improvement of the Russian government here which was seen only in the factors of the concession of its own imperial-colonial multifaceted interests in his favor. The empire considered it the first task to master the living space of Odishi - land, water, timber and other natural resources - and to calculate, specify and draw up its revenues in the common fund of the empire. The military-strategic importance of Odishi as the Eastern Black Sea, and its economic and political dominance over it, represented the realization of Russia’s centuries-old dream (Eastern policy). But, the empire eventually established itself in the space of its colonialism with Russian specifics, for example, England and France carefully studied the conquering colonies economically, then prepared for the political conquest of the colonies and took appropriate steps and tried to involve the colonies in the developed society (The so-called capitalist formation - in Soviet terminology L.G.) Characteristic of some productive relations, Russia, on the contrary, first politically subjugated the colony, and then resorted to its socio-economic, demographic expansion so that no progress and prosperity was felt by the population. At that time, besides the Russian Empire, the states of Odishi were interested in Georgia and in particular in Odisha. Given the convenient location of Georgia and the prospects of turning Odishi (Samegrelo) into the main transit center of Europe-Asia trade, they were constantly sent missions, so in 1819-1824 France, in particular the Prime Minister Richelieu sent Jacques François Gamba to learn about opportunities to use Georgia for the trade interests of their countries. In order for France, in the event of a favorable international political situation in the Caucasus, to take stock in a timely manner and take advantage of the prospects of turning Samegrelo into the future transit center of Europe-Asia trade. The German state also sent Eduard Aichwald to Odisha in 1825-1826, Maurice Wagner in 1843-1846, Huxthausen in 1843, and the Russian Borozdin from 1854 in Samegrelo. 2. Material and Methods In the 30s and 60s of the XIX century, the Russian Empire completely conquered Odishi, took over the militarystrategic highway of this territory and was able to formulate it politically in the general body of the empire. Having studied the records of foreign travelers, based on their thorough analysis, using historical-comparative and objective methods, we exposed the colonial policy of the empire obsessed with geo-political bulimia. Past experience puts on the agenda the development of defense strategies to address the Russian state with imperial ambitions. In the 21st century, their BSJ Pub Soc Sci / Lia GULORDAVA This work is licensed under Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License 71 Black Sea Journal of Public and Social Science expansionist aspirations have not slowed down at all, as the neo-colonial ideology of modern Russia aims to remain the dominant force on the Eurasian continent, the coordinating force of the "historical unity" of various peoples. The study of the memoirs of Jacques François Gamba, Eduard Eichwald, August Huxthausen, Maurice Wagner, and Cornell Borozdin as the primary source of the travels of the foreign travelers reveals the danger posed to Georgia by the invader. (Moreover, the perception of danger remains valid today, on the way to the struggle for survival. This is evidenced by the Russian-occupied Georgia (Abkhazia and Tskhinvali region (Samachablo) territories). 3. Results All the confidential missions were part of the plan of these states, for example, as Gamba notes, he traveled to the Caucasus because it paved the way for "French merchants and industrialists who came to Georgia and the Caucasus in search of fortune" (Gamba, 1987). The travelers carefully studied the main transport route of Europe-Asia trade in the territory of Samegrelo. They described in detail the natural resources of Samegrelo. There are amazing pastures and vineyards, peaches, figs, pomegranates, a flock of sheep, pigs, mulberry trees, herds, corn, millet, first –rate tobacco that equals to the one of Virginia."Krasnoye Derevo" -Taxusbaccata, which can be used in shipbuilding; ulmus, walnut, oak and dense bark. He collects information on golden sand grains brought from the Tskhenistskali to Phasis, sometimes accompanied by gold fragments, and "the soil is so fertile that many countries cannot even compare" (Gamba, 1987) When the empire unconditionally issued a verdict on Georgia, the continuation of which seemed to be an excessive burden on Russia, the facts described by Gamba spoke of a different reality. Interesting are the consequences of Gamba's trip to Odisha, for example, on his initiative, the Transcaucasia Transit Privileges (October 8, 1821, on the Commercial Privileges Bill, drafted by Gamba, approved by Governor Ermolov, but approved by the Emperor). The empire abolished it in 1831. After all, this was a confirmation of the fact that t (...truncated)