Protectionist policies and
Mercantilism. Financial
Reform
The accelerated pace of development of Russian industry required the development of trade. In the theoretical works of F. Saltykov (“Propositions”), I. Pososhkov (“Book of Poverty and Wealth”) received further development Russian economic thought, the theory of mercantilism, which included economic policy state aimed at attracting as much money as possible into the country through the export of goods. With such an unprecedented scale of construction of various manufactories, money was constantly needed. Moreover, the money had to be kept in the country. In this regard, Peter I creates conditions to encourage domestic producers. Industrial, trade campaigns, workers Agriculture various privileges are given in such a way that the export of products exceeds the import. He imposed high duties on imported goods (37%), In order to develop internal trade, he adopted a special document on “fair markets”.
In 1698, construction began on the Volga-Don Canal, which was supposed to connect the largest water arteries of Russia and contribute to the expansion of domestic trade. The Vyshnevolotsky Canal was built, which connected the Caspian and Baltic Seas through the rivers.
In the first quarter of the 18th century. Sectors expanded not only in industry, but also in agriculture. New agricultural crops were imported into Russia, the development of which led to the creation of viticulture, tobacco growing, the development of new breeds of livestock, medicinal herbs, potatoes, tomatoes, etc. d.
At the same time, the encouragement of state-owned industry and trade led to the restriction of “non-statutory” trade of landowners and peasants, which impeded the free development of market relations in the Peter the Great era. Management of industry and trade was carried out by the Berg Manufactory Collegium and the Commerce Collegium.
The continuous growth of government spending on industrial development and military needs also determined financial policy. Financial functions were carried out by three institutions: the Chamber Board was responsible for collecting revenues, the State Office Board was responsible for distributing funds, and the Board of Audits controlled the first two institutions, that is, collection and distribution.
In accordance with the demands of the time and the search for funds, the Russian Tsar strengthened the state monopoly on a number of goods: tobacco, salt, fur, caviar, resin, etc. By decree of Peter I, special persons - the staff of profit-makers - looked for new and varied sources of income. Taxes were levied on windows, pipes, doors, frames, duties were established for shipping and berthing duties, for places in markets, etc. In total, there were up to 40 such taxes. In addition, direct taxes were introduced on the purchase of horses, on provisions for the fleet, etc. To replenish the treasury, a monetary reform was carried out.
Since the end of the 17th century. The restructuring of the Russian monetary system began. A new coin system was created, reducing the weight of the coin, replacing small silver coins with copper ones, and deteriorating the standard of silver. As a result of the financial reform, coins of various denominations appeared: copper ruble, half, half half, hryvnia, kopek, denga, polushka, etc. Gold (single, double chervonets, two-ruble) and silver coins (kopeck piece, penny, penny, altyn, kopeck) were also preserved. Gold chervonets and silver rubles became hard convertible currency.
The reform carried out had both positive and negative consequences. Firstly, it led to significant state revenues and replenished the treasury. If in 1700 the Russian treasury totaled 2.5 million rubles, then in 1703 it was 4.4 million rubles. And, secondly, coin transactions caused a fall in the ruble exchange rate and a 2-fold increase in prices for goods.
Social politics
It is difficult to disagree with the famous historian Immanuel Wallerstein, who argued that Moscow State(at least until 1689) should undoubtedly be placed outside the framework of “European Europe”. Fernand Braudel, author of the brilliant monograph “The Time of the World” (Librairie Armand Colin, Paris, 1979; Russian edition M., Progress, 1992), fully agreeing with Wallerstein, nevertheless argues that Moscow has never been completely closed to the European economy, even before the conquest of Narva or before the first British settlements in Arkhangelsk (1553 - 1555)
Europe strongly influenced the East with the superiority of its monetary system, the attractiveness and temptations of technology and goods, and with all its power.
But if the Turkish Empire, for example, diligently stayed away from this influence, then Moscow little by little moved towards the West.
Opening a window to the Baltic, allowing the new English Moscow company to settle in Arkhangelsk - this meant an unambiguous step towards Europe.
However, the truce with the Swedes, signed on August 5, 1583, closed Russia’s only access to the Baltic and preserved only the inconvenient Arkhangelsk port on the White Sea. Thus, access to Europe was difficult.
The Swedes, however, did not prohibit the passage of goods imported or exported by Russians through Narva.
Exchanges with Europe also continued through Revel and Riga. Their surplus for Russia was paid for in gold and silver.
The Dutch, importers of Russian grain and hemp, brought bags of coin, each containing from 400 to 1000 riksdaler (the official coin of the Netherlands after the Estates General of 1579). In 1650, 2755 bags were delivered to Riga, in 1651. - 2145, in 1652 - 2012 bags. In 1683, trade through Riga gave Russia a surplus of 832,928 riksdaler.
Russia remained half-closed in itself not because it was allegedly cut off from Europe or opposed to exchanges. The reasons were rather in the moderate interest of Russians in the West, in the precarious political balance of Russia.
To some extent, the experience of Moscow is similar to the experience of Japan, but with the big difference that after 1638 the latter closed itself to the world economy through a political decision.
The main foreign market for Russia in the 16th - early 17th centuries was Türkiye. The Black Sea belonged to the Turks and was well guarded by them, and therefore at the end of the trade routes passing through the Don Valley and the Sea of Azov, goods were transshipped exclusively onto Turkish ships. Horse messengers regularly traveled between Crimea and Moscow.
Mastery of the lower reaches of the Volga (the capture of Kazan and Astrakhan in the middle of the 16th century) opened the way to the south, although the waterway passed through poorly pacified areas and remained dangerous.
However, Russian merchants created river caravans, uniting into large detachments.
Kazan and, to an even greater extent, Astrakhan became the control points of Russian trade heading to the Lower Volga, Central Asia, China and Iran. Trade trips included Qazvin, Shiraz, and the island of Hormuz (which took three months to get to from Moscow).
The Russian fleet, created in Astrakhan during the second half of the 16th century, was active in the Caspian Sea. Other trade routes led to Tashkent, Samarkand and Bukhara, all the way to Tobolsk, which was then the borderland of the Siberian East.
Although we do not have exact figures expressing the volume of Russian trade exchanges between the south-eastern and western directions, the predominant role of the markets of the South and East seems obvious.
Russia exported raw leather, furs, hardware, rough canvas, iron products, weapons, wax, honey, food products, plus re-exported European products: Flemish and English cloth, paper, glass, metals.
To Russia from eastern states spices, Chinese and Indian silks in transit through Iran; Persian velvets and brocades; Türkiye supplied sugar, dried fruits, gold items and pearls; middle Asia provided inexpensive cotton products.
It appears that eastern trade was positive for Russia. In any case, this applies to state monopolies (i.e. to some part of exchanges). This means that trade relations with the East stimulated the Russian economy. The West only demanded raw materials from Russia and supplied them with luxury goods and minted coins.
But the East did not disdain finished products, and if luxury goods made up some part of the flow of goods going to Russia, then along with them there were dyes and many cheap goods for public consumption.
Trade routes
Trade within Russia was based on grain trade. At the beginning of the reign of Peter I, the grain route was closely connected with Moscow and the surrounding region. Grain was delivered here Okoye And Moscow River. In addition to grain there was also honey, hemp, oil, skins, lard and other goods. These goods came from Black Earth Region.
Through Nizhny Novgorod And Vyshny Volochek bread began to reach the new city - St. Petersburg. Bread was delivered to the center of Russia from Volga region, livestock products, for example, wool, lard, etc., saltpeter, wax, potash came from Ukraine.
Domestic trade
Internal trade both in the $17th century and under Peter I can be divided to levels. The lowest level were county and rural auctions, where local merchants and peasants gathered several times a week. The next level was trade fairs. The largest known fairs were Svenskaya near the monastery near Bryansk and Makaryevskaya near Nizhny Novgorod. The fair network was ramified and extensive, but trade was most brisk in the industrial center of the country. Fairs connected the lowest level of trade with the highest - with wholesale trade of large merchants.
Finished works on a similar topic
- Coursework 420 rub.
- Essay Trade in Russia at the end of the 17th - first quarter of the 18th century 220 rub.
- Test Trade in Russia at the end of the 17th - first quarter of the 18th century 240 rub.
You can determine how intensively trade was in a particular region by the size annual amounts of customs duties. They are an indirect indicator. Thus, customs payments for $1724-1726$. demonstrate that the Moscow region had the largest amount of fees, more than $140 thousand rubles. This was much more than in other regions: for example, in the Nizhny Novgorod province the fee was $40$ thousand rubles, in the Yaroslavl province - about $28$ thousand rubles, in the Novgorod province - about $18$ thousand rubles. In the rest of the country, trade turnover was significantly lower and, as a rule, did not exceed $5-6 thousand rubles in customs duties.
International trade. Ports, waterways, legislation
Peter I paid great attention to the development of trade. He built canals that united the waterways of the rivers. In $1703-1708$. was being built Vyshnevolotsky Canal, then in the $1720s. The Ivanovo Lake connected the Don and Oka basins, construction began Volga-Don Canal, although this project was not developed; Also, due to lack of funds, Peter I did not implement the developed projects Mariinsky And Tikhvinsky channels, they were built much later.
The foreign policy successes of Peter I were aimed not only at developing the country's power and raising its prestige at the world level, but also at developing foreign trade, which, ultimately, was supposed to bring the economy to a new level. And in fact, under Peter I international trade began to play a huge role. The only port before the construction of St. Petersburg, Arkhangelsk, had an annual turnover of about $3 million rubles, the share of exports was almost $75%; by $1726$ the city of Arkhangelsk had lost a lot in turnover, but the port St. Petersburg reached an annual turnover of about $4 million rubles, and $60% of the amount was exported.
Astrakhan has historically been a center of trade with the East. In the $20s. $XVIII$ century. Astrakhan annual customs duty was several times less than St. Petersburg. But the strong point of Astrakhan was its fisheries, which made up most fees.
Note Riga port, whose role began to increase in the Peter the Great era. It had an annual turnover of $20. $XVIII$ century. more than $2$ million rubles. Based on the figures, the port of Riga became the second most important after St. Petersburg. Its importance also lies in the fact that through this port the large southwestern region of the country opened up to the European market. Hemp, canvas, lard, wax, leather, flax, grain, etc. moved abroad along the Western Dvina. This is important because The waterway along the Dnieper was a dead end not only because of the rapids, but also because of the hostile attitude of neighboring states.
Note 1
Thus, foreign trade under Peter I grew significantly and greatly influenced treasury revenues.
The list of goods for sale grew, but many could only be traded by the state. Whenever possible, merchants tried to buy out the right to trade, becoming monopolists. To protect entrepreneurship in $1724, Peter issued customs tariff, there was a huge customs duty on those imported goods that were abundantly available in Russia and were produced domestically.