Economic Development To 1914 Flashcards
What was Russia’s average annual growth rate in the latter half of the 19th century
Approximately 8% per annum
In the eleven years of Witte, how did the Russian economy change
Railway trackage doubled, coal output in southern Russia tripled, and foreign investment nearly 10x from 280 to 2000 million roubles
When did Russia enter the gold standard and why
1897-to strengthen and stabilise the currency and promote foreign investment and confidence
By 1900 how much of Russias railways were state controlled
70%
How much of Russias metallurgical production was the state itself purchasing
2/3rds
Between 1903 to 1913, how much of govt income was from it’s industrial investment
25%
In 1913, where did Russia rank in terms of global total length of railway trackage
2nd, behind USA
When was the trans Siberian railway finished
1902, with further additions in 1914
Running from central Europe to Vladivostok, a length of over 7000km
What was an issue with heavy russian industrial development
It was heavily concentrated around a limited number of areas, promoting inequality and uneven development
What % of russian coal was supplied by the Donbas region by 1913
87%
How did russian oil production change from 1885 to 1913
It trebled
What factory in st Petersburg provided, in 1885, a quarter of all state orders for locomotives, and by ww1 was one of Russias main armament prducers
Putilov Iron Works
What accounted for 40% of Russias total industrial output in 1910, possibly to certain industrialists annoyance
Light industry and textiles
Why were certain German generals so keen for war against Russia in 1914
They were scared that Russia would eventually outstrip German economic development and the war would be no contest
What industry was the livelihood for 80-90% of the Russian population
Agriculture
When was Stolypin appointed minister of internal affairs
1906
Was there much development in agriculture up to 1906
No. Techniques remained traditional and inefficient, former serfs and state peasants were still tied to their mir by redemption payments and were taxed and heavily exploited. No modern crop rotational systems were used and neither was fertilizer
How inefficient were russian farms compared to British and American
American farms were 1.5x more productive from the same amount of land. British were 4x as efficient.
How did Stolypin intend to improve agriculture and the russian economy
He aimed to win Kulaks, the most efficient and productive peasants, loyalty to the state, and create an internal market for it he products of industry, preventing starvation exports
What were Stolypins land reforms (1906-17)
In 1906 he enabled each peasant household to claim individual ownership of its land allotment and to withdraw from the communes, which were set up after emancipation and were remarkably innefficient
Encouraged peasants to travel east, and took 3.5million out of the most overpopualted areas to begin to settle siberia.
When were redemption payments abolished, as promised in 1905.
1907
How did hereditary ownership of land by peasants change from 1905 to 1915
increased from 20% to 50%
How did grain production change from 1900 to 1914
56 million to 90 million tonnes
In 1914, what was 90% of land still in, a very inefficient way of farming
Traditional strips, with conservative peasants unwilling to let go of old ways
How many peasants are estimated to have reached kulak status by 1914 (actual kulak status not the mickey mouse soviet definition of having 2 cows)
less than 1%
Was the Russian economy transformed up to 1914
Yes-emancipation, beginning of industrial development, railroad, financial and economic reforms of vyshnegradsky and witte and some degree of agricultural progress
No-much of the status quo remained with inequitable land redistribution and redemption payments. Still a minority of population working in cities, russia still dependent on foreign investment and especially importation of complex machinery