Social Portrait and Position of Workers of Patrimonial Manufactories in the Territory of Belarus in the 18th Century

The article is devoted to the problem of working force in manufacturing-type enterprises that arrived on Belarusian lands in the 18th century. The author strives to paint a detailed portrait of the worker in patrimonial manufactories through an analysis of the gender, quantitative, and national composition of workers in enterprises. One of the features of manufactories on the territory of Belarus was the use of the labor of serfs, therefore the problem of the social composition of workers occupies a special place in the article. During a comprehensive examination of the portrait of a worker, the issue of nationality is important. The article not only lists the nationalities of the workers, but also makes a conclusion about the reasons for the rapid replacement of foreign craftsmen by local specialists. Particular attention is paid to the description and assessment of the conditions in which the workers worked.