To understand what black and white settlements are, how they differ from each other, you first need to understand what the term itself means, its origin and when these formations appeared in Russia.
What is a settlement
The very origin of the word "sloboda" came from a change in the term "freedom", which explains the meaning of the noun under study. Since it refers to settlements, it is easy to assume that these territorial entities were exempted from something, most likely from taxes and duties. This term was first mentioned in the X-XI centuries. In the 12th-16th century, its progressive development took place, reaching its apogee under the Romanovs. The provision of certain benefits at all times served as an incentive either for the development of new lands, or for the development of any kind of industry. The benefits were different, most often the residents of a settlement or group of settlements were exempted from various types of taxes and military duty.
Significant differences
The white settlement was different from the black one, whose inhabitants did not belong to anyone, and taxes paid for themselves. Most often they were merchants or artisans. Their settlements were areas of cities in need of industrial and commercial development. Belaya Sloboda was land owned either by the church or by a landowner, a secular feudal lord who paid taxes to the state. Very often, in this way, new lands were developed - the abolition of taxes and duties was an incentive for the settlers. In these formations there were self-government bodies - a suburban gathering, a headman was elected. Belaya Sloboda was a place of settlement for service people - gunners, Cossacks (called white-located), arable soldiers, dragoons, and so on. For example, Zamoskvorechye was nicknamed Streltsy Sloboda because of the large number of military units concentrated there.
Beloslobodskaya boom
The white settlement reached its heyday in the first years after the Time of Troubles. People fled from the unbearable state tax (for the townspeople in Russia in the 15th-18th centuries there were a number of monetary and in-kind duties) under the rule of the feudal lords. Thus, taxes on other townspeople "unwhitewashed" people, who were also subject to a census, increased sharply, which began to lead to their discontent and riots, the most famous of which was "S alt", which occurred during the reign of Tsar Alexei Mikhailovich. The reason for the outbreak of the largest urban uprising was an unprecedented increase in taxes, especially on essential goods. So, the cost of s alt from five kopecksincreased to two hryvnia per pound.
None, besides sovereigns…
People fled from the state tax, and voluntary "begging" under the rule of large feudal lords assumed rampant proportions. Incomes to the treasury fell sharply, and in 1619 a Zemsky Sobor was convened dedicated to this topic. It was decided to return all the people who had fled to the white settlements to the bosom of the state tax. In order to fulfill this unpopular decision, a Investigative Order was created, according to which those who did not want to return and fugitive townspeople were tracked down and exiled to Siberia. Thus began the liquidation of white settlements. And the Council position adopted in 1649 completely abolished them. At the beginning of the 18th century, after the household tax first began to operate, and then the poll tax, and city districts received councils, settlements were completely abolished.
Historical memory
But in some places, mentions of them are preserved in the names of a village or district of a large settlement, giving the bearers the charm of antiquity. A striking example is Sloboda Belaya. The Kursk region, where this administrative center is located in the Belovsky district, is rich in names that came from Ancient Russia like no other. Sloboda Belaya itself is located on the banks of the Ilek River, which, in turn, is a tributary of the Psel. Nearby is the village of Girya, and the nearby railway line is called Lgov-Gotnya. The name of the administrative center Sloboda Belaya is historical. Here in 1664In the year the Cossacks settled, or, as mentioned above, “white people”, free from duties and taxes. In general, in Russia the word was very widespread - a settlement or settlement was called a settlement whose inhabitants were not serfs. Also called trade or craft towns. Therefore, in the history of the country there are so many names that include this term - German, Yamskaya, Torgovaya, Streltsy Sloboda and so on.
