THE FORMATION OF THE COTTON MONOPOLY IN TURKESTAN AND ITS LONG-TERM CONSEQUENCES IN THE HISTORY OF UZBEKISTAN'S ENVIRONMENT

Abstract

This article analyzes the historical roots of cotton cultivation in Turkestan,
the growing demand of the Russian Empire for cotton raw materials, the introduction of American
cotton varieties, and the formation of cotton monoculture on the basis of historical sources and
scholarly literature. The study examines the role of cotton in the economic life of ancient and
medieval periods, the transformation of Turkestan into a raw-material base for Russian industry
in the second half of the nineteenth century, the displacement of local cotton varieties by market
oriented standards, the redistribution of irrigated lands in favor of cotton, and the economic
dependency of peasant households. The article argues that the expansion of cotton fields reduced
the share of food crops, intensified pressure on land and water resources, and created a historical
foundation for later ecological imbalances.