The Evolution of Social and Economic-Cultural Characteristics of the Amur Valley’s Resource-Based Community in the Context of Administrative and Legal Transformations during the Soviet Period (First Half of the 20th Century)

Propose. The paper examines the social, economic, and cultural profiles of Amur fishing and hunting communities, molded by Soviet reforms and ideological influence during the first half of the 20 th century. Its goal is to reveal the impact of the Soviet legal system on the lifestyles and traditions of Amur fishermen and hunters, while highlighting the specifics of transformation and modernization within their communities. Results. Communities preserving Siberian (hunting) and Amur (fishing) traditions have taken shape in the Lower Amur region. In the second half of the 19 th century, they became integrated into the political, economic, and social framework of the Russian state. Starting in the 1920s, several important issues were addressed for the Amur natives, including the selection of an administrative and territorial structure, the allocation of fishing areas, and the reorganization of their settlement system and daily life. Improving the lifestyle of the indigenous population entailed both integrating them into the labor system that emerged during the industrial expansion in the Lower Amur region and fostering amicable relations with the Russian population. During the 1930s, ideology played a pivotal role in shaping the socio-cultural environment of the region, with the fishing community evaluated through the lens of productive capacity and industrial relations. Conclusion. In the first half of the 20 th century, the political and economic initiatives of the Soviet state in the Lower Amur region not only transformed the traditional ways of life of local communities but also fostered the emergence of a new system of economic and cultural stratification within their population, modernized their lifestyles, and strengthened the social role of the poor, establishing them as the foundation of the collective farm movement.