2.8 The economic development of Russia to 1914 Flashcards
What was the annual growth rate from 1894 to 1913?
more than eight per cent
Who initially masterminded the major transformation of Russia’s economy from the mid 1890s?
Sergei Witte, Finance Minister between 1892-1903 (building on policies of Vyshnegradsky in 1880s)
In the eleven years of Witte’s tenure, what happened to railway trackage?
virtually doubled
In the eleven years of Witte’s tenure, what happened to coal output in southern Russia?
From 183 million puds in 1890 to 671 million in 1900
foreign investment - 1895, 1900, 1914
(millions of roubles)
1895 - 280
1900 - 911
1914 - 2000
By the end of Witte’s tenure (1903), where was foreign capital coming from?
France - 1/3 of all foreign capital
Britain - 23%
Germany - 20%
West at least 95% of foreign investment
How did the Witte manage the economy?
deliberately sought to state-manage industrial growth - seeking capital, technical advisers, managers and skilled workers from overseas
By the early 20th century, how much of Russia’s railways did the State control?
70%
By turn of century, how much of all Russia’s metallurgical production was the State buying?
almost 2/3 of all Russia’s metallurgical production
In the years 1903-1913, how much of the governments income came from industrial investments?
more than 25% of its government
What was the period of the late 1890s dubbed?
‘the great spurt’
By 1905, how many kilometres of railway in Russia? What percentage was state-owned?
By 1905, 59,616 kilometres - 66% state-owned
What did the railways allow?
- helped open up the Russian interior
- allowed more extensive exploitation of Russia’s raw materials
- linked grain-growing areas to Black Sea ports - reinforcing the export drive
How was the building of the railways a stimulus itself?
stimulus to the development of the iron and coal industries + permitted the development of new industries along the length of network
By 1913, what was the world ranking of the size of Russia’s railway network? How long?
2nd biggest (to USA)
622,200 km
Trans-Siberian Railway - when was it built? what did it connect up? how long?
built between 1892 and 1902
Linked central European Russia + Moscow with the Pacific Ocean
ran a distance of 7000km
How was the Trans-Siberian Railway economically beneficial?
brought economic benefits through its construction + opening up western Siberia for emigration and farming
By 1914, Russia was the – largest producer of coal, pig iron, and steel
4th
Russian oil production —– between 1855 and 1913, from —- to —-
Russian oil production trebled between 1855 and 1913, from 153 million puds to almost 570 million
Industrial growth rate between 1908 and 1913
8.5% per year
By 1914, Russia was the world’s — largest industrial power
5th (after the UK, USA, France and Germany)
What percentage of the Russian population did the rural economy provide a livelihood for?
80-90%
(However largely ignored until 1906 + Pyotr Stolypin)
What had the subdivision of estates caused the average holding of land to fall to (1877 to 1905)
35 acres in 1877 to 28 by 1905
how was the grain output (per same amount of land) different in Russia from USA + Britain
American grain output 1.5x of Russia
Britain 4x as great
What did Stolypin want from his reforms?
for peasants to become permanent owners of their own land, each peasant’s land in one piece rather than scattered, + for each to develop it as wished w/o interference from mir
How and when did Stolypin begin his agricultural reforms?
1903 - mir’s responsibility to pay taxes on behalf of peasants removed
When did Stolypin put through the most major changes in agriculture?
After his promotion after unrest of 1905 (the most important legislation introduced in 1906)
Stolypin’s agricultural reforms in 1906
- Peasants given right to leave commune + withdraw land from commune + consolidate scattered strips into one compact farm
(these reforms don’t become fully operative until 1910, when approved by Third Duma)
How long did Stolypin claim it would take for his reforms to have an effect
20 years of peace
hereditary ownership of land by peasants increase from 1905 to 1915
20% in 1905
nearly 50% in 1915
Rise in grain production from 1900 to 1914
56 million tons in 1900
90 million by 1914
What helped the significant production increases?
A run of good harvests, in particular 1913
How did Stolypins encouragement of emigration help?
3.5 million peasants away from overpopulated rural districts of south + west to siberia - helped siberia develop into major agricultural region
By 1914, how much of land had been transferred from communal to private ownership?
only 10%
By 1914, how much of the land remained in the hands of the nobility?
50% - often reluctant to give up land + protracted legal battles
What percent probably achieved kulak status?
Fewer than 1% - many of the rest were forced to leave their farms + join bands of migrant labourers looking for seasonal farming work/ industrial employment
