6: economic development 1855-1894 Flashcards
what was industrialisation in Russia largely driven by
the state
why was industrialisation largely driven by the state
in a deliberate attempt to match the economic development of western europe
who was AII minister of finance 1862-78
von Reutern
what were reuterns reforms designed for
to boost the economy and provide funds to drive industrial growth
reuterns reforms
- treasury reformed
- new arrangements for collecting taxes put in place
- tax farming abolished
- tax system reformed
- banks and credit facilities extended
- state, municipal and savings banks established
how was trade promoted under reutern
reduction of import duties 1863
what were offered to private entrepreneurs to develop railways under reutern
government subsidies
how was foreign investment encouraged under reutern
government guaranteed annual dividend
for what industries was government support offered under reutern
cotton and mining
what did reuterns reforms force tax farmers to do
look elsewhere to invest
how did reuterns reforms encourage enterprise
opportunities provided by gov subsidies and trade treaties
what did the use of foreign technical expertise and capital support under reutern
industrial expansion (railway saw expansion)
what was the annual growth rate during reuterns term of office
6%
what were the new developments under reutern
oil extraction, ironworks
how did economy remain weak despite reuterns reforms
- 1/3 gov expenditure went on repayment of debts
- rouble subject to variation
- limitations of emancipation edict kept peasantry poor and domestic market small
- tariff reductions meant decline in gov revenue
when was the decision to raise tariffs taken
1878
when did Vyshnegradsky take over as minister of finance
1887
what was the import tariff designed to boost under Vyshnegradsky
home production and helped iron industry and development of industrial machinery
how did Vyshnegradsky balance budget whilst financing enterprise
- negotiated valuable loans
- increased indirect taxes
- mounted a drive to swell grain exports
how did Vyshnegradsky policy appear successful on surface
1881-1891 grain exports +18% and Russian budget in surplus
what was Vyshnegradsky export drive achieve at expense of
peasants who paid taxes and saw their grain requisitioned by state
what did Vyshnegradsky famously say about exports
‘we ourselves shall not eat, but we shall export’
what did Vyshnegradsky export drive ultimately lead to
widespread famine due to bad harvest and no reserve stores
who was Vyshnegradsky successor
Witte
what was Witte totally committed to
economic modernisation as a means of curbing revolutionary activity
what did Witte believe was only way forward
continue with protective tariffs, heavy taxation and forced exports to generate capital
what did much of Wittes investment go into
mining, metal trades, oil and banking
who did Witte encourage to oversee industrial developments
foreign engineers to advise on planning and techniques
what industry saw major expansion under Witte
railway
how much land did the average peasant receive
little less than four hectares
which factors hampered agricultural change
high taxes, grain requisitions, traditional farming practices
what was the problem with land banks
the loans they offered merely increased debts
why was there an increase in agricultural production in the 1870s-1880s
kulaks positive response to Vyshnegradskys export drive
what did the 1891-92 famine show
average peasant had too little land to become prosperous
Social divisions: what did Russia’s traditional land based society move towards as industrialisation spread
One more focused on money, capital and wages
Social divisions: what did the period see the beginnings of
An emergent new middle class and urban working class
The landed elite: why had their personal landholdings declined after emancipation
Some sold out to pay off debts/abandoned farming in favour of more rewarding professional activities
The landed elite: what percentage of university professors in 1880 were from hereditary nobility
1/5
The landed elite: how many nobles owned their own business in 1882
700
The landed elite: how many nobles employed in commerce in 1882
2500
The landed elite: which governorships did nobles find themselves in
Zemstva and provincial governorships
The landed elite: why did they retain despite changes to their position
Retained much of precious wealth and status
The middle class: why did Russia’s middle class begin to grow
Urban and industrial expansion and an increase in educational opportunities
The middle class: what were in greater demand
Bankers, doctors, teachers and administrators
The middle class: what provided enterprising oppurtunities
Gov contracts to build railways and state loans to set up factories
The middle class: what were there opportunities to do at the lower end of the scale
Take up management positions or set up as workshop owners or traders
The urban working class: what was number of urban workers despite growth
Still very small- 2% population
The urban working class: why did some peasants sell up
Join migrant groups building railways/become urban workers
The urban working class: how many inhabitants in st Petersburg in 1864 were peasants by birth
1 in 3
The urban working class: what were conditions in factories like
Grim and early factories paid little heed to workers welfare
The urban working class: what did reforming legislation in 1882-90 implement
Regulation of child labour, reduction in working hours, reduction in excessive fines, payment in kind and appointment of inspectors with powers to Check up on living and working conditions
The urban working class: what was payment in kind
Payment in goods/services such as accommodation rather than money wages
The urban working class: what were payments like despite peasants being attracted by regular wages
Payments rarely generous
The urban working class: how many strikes per year 1886-94 despite being illegal
33
The position of the peasantry: kulaks
Bought up land
Employed labour and sometimes acted as pawn brokers with land
The position of the peasantry: what was life like for poorest peasants
Life getting harsher as they turned into landles labourers
The position of the peasantry: what did zemstvo survey in 1880s state about poorest peasants
2/3 of former serfs in Tambov region unable to feed household without falling into debt
The position of the peasantry: how did living standards vary
Areas of former state peasants tended to be better off than those of emancipated privately owned
The position of the peasantry: why were former state serfs better off that privately owned ones
They’d been granted more land
The position of the peasantry: evidence of poor living standards of peasants
Large proportion turned down as unfit for military service
Mortality rates higher than those in any other European country
The position of the peasantry: what was average life expectancy for males and females
M 27
F 29
In England it was 45
Cultural influence of church: what percentage of population were subscribed to Orthodox Church
70%
Cultural influence of church: what was russia According to tradition
A holy land that had been chosen by god to save the world
Cultural influence of church: how had church administration changed by the late nineteenth century
Moved to holy synod and tsars position became more secular
Cultural influence of church: how did the domination of the Orthodox Church benefit the regime
Moral domination of Orthodox Church over superstitious and ill educated peasantry hugely benefitixal to regime as a means of contr l
Cultural influence of church: what were priests expected to do
Read out imperial manifestos and decrees, keep statistics, root out opposition and inform the police of any suspicious activity
Cultural influence of church: why was an ecclesiastical commission set up in 1862
After a report expressing concern about clerical poverty and behaviour
Cultural influence of church: what reforms were introduced in 1868
To improve education of priests
Cultural influence of church: what was church given increased power over under Delyanov
Primary education
Cultural influence of church: why did AIIIs policy of Russification allow him to promote orthodoxy throughout the empire
-became an offence to covert from orthodoxy to another faith/publish criticisms of it
Cultural influence of church: how many Muslims and pagans converted to orthodoxy under AII
8500 m
50,000 P
