Life and way of life of the peoples of Siberia. Material culture of the peoples of the north and Siberia and their way of life

Send your good work in the knowledge base is simple. Use the form below

Students, graduate students, young scientists who use the knowledge base in their studies and work will be very grateful to you.

Posted on http://www.allbest.ru/

Course work

“Development of industry, finance and state under PeterI»

Introduction

The era of Peter I is the culmination of the process of decomposition of feudalism and the genesis of capitalist relations, which began in the 17th century. Peter I correctly understood and realized the complexity of the tasks that faced the country, and began purposefully to implement them.

Under Peter 1, absolutism was finally established in Russia, Peter was proclaimed emperor, which meant strengthening the power of the tsar himself; he became an autocratic and unlimited monarch. transformations in state and public life carried out during the reign of Peter I in Russia. All government activities Peter I can be conditionally divided into two periods: 1696-1715 and 1715-1725. The peculiarity of the first stage was haste and not always thought out, which was explained by the conduct of the Northern War. The reforms were aimed primarily at raising funds for the war, were carried out by force and often did not lead to the desired result. In addition to government reforms, at the first stage, extensive reforms were carried out with the aim of modernizing the way of life. In the second period, reforms were more systematic.

Rindustrial development

Peter the Great inherited from the Moscow state poorly developed rudiments of industry, planted and supported by the government, and poorly developed trade associated with the poor structure of the state economy. Were inherited from the Moscow state and its tasks - to conquer access to the sea and return the state to its natural borders. Peter quickly began to solve these problems, starting a war with Sweden and deciding to wage it in a new way and with new means. A new regular army is emerging and a fleet is being built. All this, of course, required huge financial costs. The Moscow state, as state needs increased, covered them with new taxes. Peter, too, did not shy away from this old technique, but next to it he put one innovation that Muscovite Rus' did not know: Peter cared not only about taking from the people everything that could be taken, but also thought about the payer themselves - the people, about where he can get funds to pay heavy taxes.

Peter saw the path to raising the people's well-being in the development of trade and industry. At the same time, the desire to reduce the cost of maintaining the army and navy naturally suggested the idea that it would be cheaper to produce everything that was needed to equip and arm the army and navy. And since there were no factories and factories that could fulfill this task, the idea arose that they needed to be built. These thoughts were not new and have been known since the time of Tsar Michael, but only a man with an iron will and indestructible energy, like Tsar Peter, could implement it.

During the Great Embassy, the king studied all sides European life, including technical ones. Abroad, Peter learned the basics of economic thought of that time - mercantilism. Mercantilism based its economic teaching on two principles: first, every nation, in order not to become poor, must produce everything it needs itself, without turning to the help of other people's labor, the labor of other peoples; secondly, in order to get rich, every nation must export manufactured products from its country as much as possible and import foreign products as little as possible.

Realizing that Russia is not only not inferior, but also superior to other countries in the abundance of natural resources, Peter decided that the state should take upon itself the development of industry and trade of the country. "Our Russian state,- said Peter, - “Before other lands, it is abundant and blessed to have the necessary metals and minerals, which until now have been searched for without any diligence.”.

Thus, realizing the importance of trade and industry and having adopted the ideas of mercantilism in the West, Peter began to reform these areas, forcing his subjects to do so, even if by force.

During the reign of Peter I, two stages can be traced in Russia’s industrial policy:

· 1700-1717 - main founder manufactory - treasury;

· Since 1717, private individuals began to found manufactories. At the same time, the owners of manufactories were exempted from government service.

On first stage, priority was given to the production of products for military needs. On second stage, industry began to produce products for the population.

By decree of 1722, city artisans were united into workshops, but unlike Western Europe they were organized by the state, and not by the artisans themselves, to produce products needed by the army and navy. "

A higher form of industrial production was manufacture. As a result of the transformations of Peter I in the first quarter of the 18th century. There was a sharp leap in the development of the manufacturing industry. Compared to the end of the 17th century. the number of manufactories increased approximately fivefold and in 1725 amounted to 205 enterprises.

Particularly great successes were achieved in the metallurgical industry, which was necessitated by the need to arm the army and build a navy. Along with factories in the old regions (Tula, Kashira, Kaluga), factories arose in Karelia, and then in the Urals. It was during this period that the widespread development of iron and copper ores in the Urals began, which soon became the main metallurgical base of the country. Pig iron smelting reached 815 thousand poods per year, according to this indicator Rorcia took third place in the world, second only to England and Sweden. Large copper production was organized. In second place were textile manufactories, which were developed in the center of the country. Tanneries also operated here, providing products primarily to the army.

Under Peter the Great, new industries arose in Russia: shipbuilding, silk spinning, glass and earthenware, and paper production.

The state played a major role in the development of large-scale industry. It built factories, helped private entrepreneurs, and provided manufactories with labor.

The manufactories used both free and forced labor of peasants who worked in the patrimonial enterprises of their landowners, as well as assigned peasants from the state and palace villages. By a decree of 1721, merchants were allowed to purchase serfs for their factories, which later became known as sessional. Thus, in the first quarter of the 18th century. There was a leap in the development of large-scale production and in the use of civilian labor. This can be considered the second stage in the initial period of the genesis of capitalist relations in Russian industry (the first stage is the 17th century).

Thus, under Peter, the foundation of Russian industry was laid. Many new industries entered the circulation of people's labor, that is, the sources of people's well-being increased quantitatively and qualitatively improved. This improvement was achieved through a terrible effort of the people's forces, but only thanks to this effort the country was able to endure the burden of a continuously lasting twenty years of war. In the future, the intensive development of national wealth that began under Peter led to the enrichment and economic development of Russia.

Domestic trade under Peter also picked up significantly, but, in general, continued to have the same caravan-fair character. But this side of the economic life of Russia was stirred up by Peter and brought out of the peace of inertia and lack of enterprise that characterized it in the 17th century and earlier. The spread of commercial knowledge, the emergence of factories and factories, communication with foreigners - all this gave new meaning and the direction of Russian trade, causing it to revive internally and, thereby, becoming an increasingly active participant in world trade, to assimilate its principles and rules.

Development of the state under Peter I

At first, Peter I did not have a clear program of reforms in the field government. The emergence of a new government institution or a change in the administrative-territorial management of the country was dictated by the conduct of wars, which required significant financial resources and mobilization of the population. The system of power inherited by Peter I did not allow raising enough funds to reorganize and increase the army, build a fleet, build fortresses and St. Petersburg.

Public Administration Reform

(1699-1721)

The strengthening of the absolutist monarchy required the restructuring and extreme centralization of the entire system of public administration, its highest, central and local bodies.

The Boyar Duma was replaced by the Governing Senate - the highest government institution with judicial, administrative, and sometimes legislative functions. It was created in 1711 consisting of 9 senators appointed personally by Peter from representatives of the nobility, former members of the Boyar Duma and nobles.

The functions of the Senate in the first years of its existence were wide and varied. In particular, he took care of state revenues and expenses, was in charge of the appearance of nobles for service, and was the supervisory authority over the extensive bureaucratic apparatus.

In 1922, a new regulation on the Senate was issued. This position declared the Senate to be supreme government agency empires. In the hands of Peter, the Senate became an obedient instrument of the monarch in governing the country.

To replace the complex and clumsy apparatus of Orders (more than 50) and offices with their unclear functions and parallelism in work, a project was developed for the creation of new central departments. Reform 1717-1720 abolished orders and offices and introduced collegium created on the basis of studying foreign experience. A total of 11 boards were created with a strict distribution of functions. The Collegium of Foreign Affairs replaced the Ambassadorial Prikaz, that is, it was in charge of foreign policy.

· Military Collegium (Military) - recruitment, armament, equipment and training of the ground army.

· Admiralty Collegium - naval affairs, fleet.

· Patrimonial Collegium - replaced the Local Order, that is, it was in charge of noble land ownership (land litigation, transactions for the purchase and sale of land and peasants, and the search for fugitives were considered). Founded in 1721.

· Chamber Board - collection of state revenues.

· State Office Board - was in charge of state expenses,

· Audit Board - control over the collection and expenditure of government funds.

· Commerce Board - issues of shipping, customs and foreign trade.

· Berg College - mining and metallurgy (mining industry).

· Manufactory Collegium - light industry (manufactures, that is, enterprises based on the division of manual labor).

· The College of Justice - was in charge of issues of civil proceedings (the Serfdom Office operated under it: it registered various acts - bills of sale, the sale of estates, spiritual wills, debt obligations). She worked in civil and criminal court.

· The Spiritual College or the Holy Governing Synod - managed church affairs, replaced the patriarch. Founded in 1721. This board/Synod included representatives of the highest clergy. Since their appointment was carried out by the tsar, and his decisions were approved by him, we can say that the Russian emperor became the de facto head of the Russian Orthodox Church. The actions of the Synod on behalf of the highest secular authority were controlled by the chief prosecutor - a civil official appointed by the tsar. By a special decree, Peter I (Peter I) ordered the priests to carry out an educational mission among the peasants: read sermons and instructions to them, teach children prayers, and instill in them respect for the king and the church.

· Little Russian Collegium - exercised control over the actions of the hetman, who held power in Ukraine, because there was special treatment local government. After the death of Hetman I.I. in 1722. Skoropadsky, new elections of hetman were prohibited, and the hetman was appointed for the first time by royal decree. The board was headed by a tsarist officer.

At first, each college was guided by its own regulations, but in 1720 an extensive (56 chapters) “General Regulations” was published, which determined their uniform organizational structure and procedure. The subsequent development of the principle of official service was reflected in Peter’s “Table of Ranks” of 1722. The new law divided service into civil and military. It defined 14 classes or ranks of officials. Anyone who received the rank of 8th class became a hereditary nobleman.

The new system of side-by-side bureaucratization of the state qualitatively changed the service classes, including people from other social groups in the nobility. They all received land and peasants. In the era of Peter the Great, hundreds of thousands of peasants from among the state and palace peasants went into private ownership, that is, they became serfs.

As a result of the reform, the public administration system has become more advanced. The activities of most government bodies became regulated, and the boards had a clearly defined area of activity. Supervisory authorities were created.

Regional (provincial) reform

(1708-1715 and 1719-1720)

The reform was carried out in 2 stages. At the first, in 1708-1715, a regional reform was carried out in order to strengthen the vertical of power at the local level and better provide the army with supplies and recruits. In 1708, the country was divided into 8 provinces headed by governors vested with full judicial and administrative power: Moscow, Ingria (later St. Petersburg), Kiev, Smolensk, Azov, Kazan, Arkhangelsk and Siberian. The Moscow province provided more than a third of revenues to the treasury, followed by the Kazan province.

Governors were also in charge of the troops stationed on the territory of the province. In 1710, new administrative units appeared - shares, uniting 5,536 households. The first regional reform did not solve the set tasks, but only significantly increased the number of civil servants and the costs of their maintenance.

In 1719-1720, a second regional reform was carried out, eliminating shares. The provinces began to be divided into 50 provinces headed by governors, and the provinces into districts headed by zemstvo commissars appointed by the Chamber Board. The governors were deprived of administrative power; they were left with only military and judicial affairs.

As a result of this reform, power was centralized. Local governments have almost completely lost influence.

Judicial reform

(1697, 1719, 1722)

Peter 1 created new judicial bodies: the Senate, the Justice Collegium, the Hofgerichts, and the lower courts. Judicial functions were also performed by all colleagues except Foreign. The judges were separated from the administration. The court of kissers (an analogue of the jury trial) was abolished, and the principle of the inviolability of an unconvicted person was lost.

Under Peter, it underwent radical changes judicial system. The functions of the Supreme Court were given to the Senate and the College of Justice. Below them were: in the provinces - the Hofgerichts or court courts of appeal in large cities, and the provincial collegial lower courts. Provincial courts conducted civil and criminal cases of all categories of peasants except monasteries, as well as townspeople not included in the settlement. Since 1721, court cases of the townspeople included in the settlement were conducted by the magistrate. In other cases, the so-called single court acted (cases were decided individually by the zemstvo or city judge). However, in 1722 the lower courts were replaced by provincial courts headed by a voivode.

A large number of judicial bodies and persons carrying out judicial activities (the emperor himself, governors, governors, etc.) introduced confusion and confusion into legal proceedings, the introduction of the possibility of “knocking out” testimony under torture created the ground for abuse and bias. At the same time, the adversarial nature of the process and the need for the sentence to be based on specific articles of the law corresponding to the case under consideration were established.

Military reforms

The introduction of conscription, the creation of a navy, the establishment of a Military Collegium in charge of all military affairs. Introduction using the Table of Ranks military ranks, uniform for all of Russia. Creation of military-industrial enterprises, as well as military educational institutions. Introduction of army discipline and military regulations.

With his reforms, Peter 1 created a formidable regular army, which by 1725 numbered up to 212 thousand people and a strong navy. Units were created in the army: regiments, brigades and divisions, and squadrons in the navy. Many military victories were won. These reforms (although assessed ambiguously by different historians) created a springboard for further successes of Russian weapons.

Army reform: in particular, the introduction of regiments of a new system, reformed according to foreign models, began long before Peter I, even under Alexei I. However, the combat effectiveness of this army was low. Reforming the army and creating a navy became necessary conditions for victory in the Northern War of 1700-1721. In preparation for the war with Sweden, Peter ordered in 1699 to carry out a general recruitment and begin training soldiers according to the model established by the Preobrazhensky and Semyonovtsy. This first recruitment yielded 29 infantry regiments and two dragoons. In 1705, every 20 households were required to send one recruit to lifelong service. Subsequently, recruits began to be taken from a certain number of male souls among the peasants. Recruitment into the navy, as into the army, was carried out from recruits.

If at first among the officers there were mainly foreign specialists, then after the start of the work of the navigation, artillery, and engineering schools, the growth of the army was satisfied by Russian officers from the noble class. In 1715, the Maritime Academy was opened in St. Petersburg. In 1716, the Military Regulations were published, which strictly defined the service, rights and responsibilities of the military. - As a result of the transformations, a strong regular army and a powerful navy were created, which Russia simply did not have before. By the end of Peter's reign, the number of regular ground forces reached 210 thousand (of which 2,600 were in the guard, 41,560 in the cavalry, 75 thousand in the infantry, 14 thousand in the garrisons) and up to 110 thousand irregular troops. The fleet consisted of 48 battleships; 787 galleys and other ships; There were almost 30 thousand people on all ships.

Church reform

(1700-1701; 1721)

After the death of Patriarch Adrian in 1700, the institution of the patriarchate was virtually liquidated. In 1701, the management of church and monastic lands was reformed. Peter 1 restored the Monastic Order, which controlled church revenues and the court of monastic peasants. In 1721, the Spiritual Regulations were adopted, which actually deprived the church of independence. To replace the patriarchate, the Holy Synod was created, the members of which were subordinate to Peter 1, by whom they were appointed. Church property was often taken away and spent on the needs of the emperor. The church reforms of Peter 1 led to the almost complete subordination of the clergy to secular power. In addition to the elimination of the patriarchate, many bishops and ordinary clergy were persecuted. The Church could no longer pursue an independent spiritual policy and partially lost its authority in society.

Finance development

A significant improvement in finances was the ultimate goal of the reform activities of Peter I. His financial policy was characterized by tax oppression unprecedented before his reign. The growth of the state budget was achieved through the expansion of indirect taxes and an increase in direct taxes. More and more new, additional sources of taxes were sought: bath, fish, honey, horse and other taxes, up to a tax on beards (the tsar demanded that beards be shaved, and whoever did not comply with this requirement was obliged to pay a tax) and on oak coffins, the sale of which was declared state-owned. monopoly, just like drinking and tobacco. In total, there were up to 40 types of indirect collections.

Financial reform

The search for new sources of income led to a radical reform of the entire tax system - the introduction of a per capita tax. From the end of 1718 to 1724, a population census was conducted in Russia and 5.4 million male souls were counted, subject to a single tax: from landowner peasants - 74 kopecks. per year, from state peasants - 1 rub. 14 kopecks, from artisans and merchants - 1 rub. 20 kopecks

By the end of Peter's reign (1725), state revenues, compared to 1701, increased almost 4 times and amounted to 8.5 million rubles. of which more than half (4.6 million rubles) accounted for the poll tax. The poll tax was much heavier than the previous household and land taxes and gave the government a much larger amount of money, compared to the fees of the 17th century.

The huge deficits of the first years of the 18th century decreased by the end of Peter's reign, although in his declining years he still did not cease to need money to maintain the army and navy, and for the needs of the national economy.

Monetary reform of Peter I

The state of monetary circulation at the end of the 17th century was characterized by a deep crisis. The circulating silver penny, as a result of a steady decrease in the weight standard (from 0.63 g to 0.39 g), turned into a tiny coin the size of a watermelon seed and was not able to serve the all-Russian market. There were no coins in circulation necessary to service small trade. The silver penny could not fulfill this role, since its denomination was still high. Minting small fractions using the manual method was unprofitable for the treasury, causing it losses.

Thus, by the end of the 17th century there was a need to implement fundamental changes in money circulation through monetary reform, because the further development of the Russian economy and the success of a number of transformations in other areas of society depended on this.

The idea was to introduce a large silver coin into circulation, replacing small silver money with copper coins; practically it was necessary to solve the same problems that were set by Alexei Mikhailovich, the father of Peter I, in 1654. However, as history shows, he then suffered a failure, which led to strong popular unrest. Peter I, taking into account the failed attempts of the government of Alexei Mikhailovich, acted tactically differently, as evidenced by the initial stage of the reform.

The beginning of the next stage of the reform (1704-1711) was marked by the fact that in 1704 two denominations were immediately put into circulation: the copper penny and the ruble, which were assigned the role of the main monetary units in the new monetary system. The monetary system was based on the decimal principle of the ratio of denominations: 1 ruble was equal to 100 kopecks. The parallel issue of equally dated silver and copper money accustomed the population to the equivalence of both coins, which helped to strengthen confidence in the copper coin 26 .

The essence of the next stage (1711-1717) was to abandon the minting of small silver money of thaler standard and lower it to 70, that is, to reduce the content of pure silver in them and, consequently, their real value.

The period from 1718 to 1724 can be defined as the final stage of the reform. At this stage, the minting of silver wire kopecks completely ceases, which characterizes the completion of the functioning of the old Russian monetary system. At the same time, the production of copper kopecks was stopped in order to disguise the “overthrow” of the silver kopeck and prevent unrest among the people. It was only in 1724 that the minting of the copper penny was resumed.

Bringing together all the innovations introduced by Peter I into the Russian monetary system, we get a rather impressive list:

· Firstly, a large silver coin, the ruble, appeared in circulation, capable of effectively serving industry and trade, including foreign trade. It accounted for 88.5% of the total coinage. The average annual issue of silver coins from 1698 to 1724 amounted to 1.1 million rubles.

Secondly, as a small, small change Instead of the defunct silver coin, a copper coin began to be used. As a result of the measures taken, the share of copper coins in the total mintage amounted to 9.2%. Copper money served mainly small transactions; they were mainly used by the population.

· Thirdly, a gold coin was introduced into circulation, which ceased to be used for award purposes due to the establishment of the production of special award medals. The gold coin was intended to serve foreign trade turnover. It accounted for 2.3% of the total coinage.

· Fourthly, the monetary system introduced by Peter I was fundamentally different in its decimal system and until the end of the 18th century remained the only decimal system in the world.

· Fifthly, during the reform, for the first time, the standard of silver and gold coins was established by the state and enshrined in law.

· Sixthly, the technique of minting coins was improved. Instead of hand coining, mints began using "hammer shells" and then screw presses. Thanks to machine minting, Russian coins acquired a round shape and a standard stable weight. And finally, starting in 1696, dating of Russian coins was introduced for the first time. From 1696 to 1700, the year from the creation of the world was indicated on coins, and then, due to a change in the year from the birth of Christ, chronology from 1700.

Fformation of the state budget

The main source of state budget revenue was direct taxes from the population - up to 55.5% in 1724. In addition, as in the 17th century, indirect taxes and a system of taxation for the sale of monopoly goods, as well as taxation for the construction of mills, bridges, etc., played a major role. Various in-kind duties became widespread, such as recruiting, billeting (apartment duty) and submarine duties, according to which peasants had to provide stationed military units with food and feed grain. State peasants were also obliged to perform various types of work for the benefit of the state: transport mail and provide carts for transportation, take part in the construction of canals, harbors, and roads.

Manipulations with small copper coins played a special role in replenishing treasury revenues. So, for example, the market price of one pound of copper was 7 rubles, but of this mass early XVIII century, copper money was minted for 12 rubles, and by 1718 - for 40 rubles. The huge difference between the market price of copper and the denomination of copper coins led to their endless illegal counterfeits - “thieves' money”, rising prices and depreciation of money, impoverishment of the population.
The main budget item was military expenditures . The size of military expenditures can be judged by the following fact: at the very beginning of the 18th century, when an anti-Swedish coalition was formed in Europe consisting of Russia, Poland, Denmark and a number of German principalities, Peter I undertook to pay 150 thousand rubles. as an annual subsidy to the Polish king Augustus II only for him to continue to support the union and participate in military operations against Sweden. For example, the military campaigns of Peter I absorbed approximately 80-85% of all Russian income, and in 1705 they cost 96%. During the period of Peter the Great's reforms, expenditures on the state apparatus, on the construction of St. Petersburg and palaces around it, on various ceremonial events on the occasion of military victories - "victories", magnificent festivities, etc., systematically increased. The constantly growing budget deficit in the 18th century began to be increasingly covered due to inflation, as well as government loans, especially after the death of Peter I.

Conclusion

reform peter state budget

The end of the 17th - first quarter of the 18th century. - a turning point in the history of Russia, marked by dramatic changes in the economy, state building and culture. The rise to power of Peter I at the end of the 17th century. had a decisive influence on the fate of the Russian state, which continued to exist and take any actions in the field of foreign policy rather out of inertia or as a result of pressure from other European powers than in order to protect its interests and pursue its own foreign policy line.

Thanks to a number of brilliant victories as a result of the transformations carried out by Peter I in the Russian army, as well as skillful diplomacy, Russia's authority in the international arena is increasing. The establishment of Russia on the shores of the Baltic Sea created favorable preconditions for the development of permanent economic, cultural and political ties with the leading countries of Western Europe, which led to significant changes in the socio-economic development of Russia. In fact, Russia became one of the leading European powers of its time.

Peter I was the great reformer of his time. The main result of the entire set of Peter's reforms was the establishment of a regime of absolutism in Russia, the crown of which was the change in the title of the Russian monarch in 1721 - Peter declared himself emperor, and the country began to be called the Russian Empire. Thus, a state was created with a coherent management system, a strong army and navy, a powerful economy, influencing international politics. As a result of Peter's reforms, the state was not bound by anything and could use any means to achieve its goals.

Russia became an autocratic, military-bureaucratic state, in which the central role belonged to the nobility.

The role of Peter the Great in the history of Russia is difficult to overestimate. No matter how you feel about the methods and style of his reforms, one cannot help but admit that Peter the Great is one of the most prominent figures in world history.

Bibliography

1. History of Russia http://rhistory.ucoz.ru/publ/reformy_petra_1_tablica/15-1-0-145

2. Wikipedia - http://ru.wikipedia.org/wiki/%D0% E5% F4% EE % F0% EC % FB_%CF % E5% F2% F0% E0_I

3. Timoshina T.M. Economic history Russia: Tutorial/ Ed. About M.N. Chepurina. - 11th ed. M.: JSC Justitsinform, 2004

4. Semenkova T.G. Currency reform 1535-1538 - the result of the development of the economy of the Russian state in the first third of the 16th century // Monetary reforms in Russia: History and modernity. Digest of articles. M.: Drevlekhranilishche, 2004

Posted on Allbest.ru

...

Industry under Peter 1

Many have heard about the merits of Peter 1, but few know that initially he had at his disposal a state with a poorly developed economy - agriculture, industry and trade were in their infancy or in decline.

Major government reforms and transformations of Peter I the Great

However, then the priority task was to gain “access to the sea”, in connection with which the war with Sweden was started.

For successful military operations an army and navy were needed.

Peter 1 created his own new army. But all expenses were covered by taxes. This fact forced the king to think about the welfare of the people. The solution, according to some historians, was found during the Great Embassy, the results of which showed the huge difference between Russia of that time and Europe.

The idea that Russia needed the development of an industrial complex was known long before the appearance of Peter, however, since the implementation of this idea required willpower and enormous efforts on the part of the sovereign, only he was able to begin its implementation.

Peter carried out his transformations according to the principles of mercantilism, which he learned after visiting abroad.

According to this path, the goal was set to teach ordinary people advanced methods of development and mastery of new types of production.

Perth 1 began its transformations boldly and with great enthusiasm, but the people perceived them as another burden and whim of the ruler.

Also, some issues of the country's development, which required a carefully thought-out transformation program, were carried out by Peter too quickly and thoughtlessly. And as a result, many of his ideas did not bear the fruits that were expected, and practically stopped after his death.

The beginning of reforms in the industrial sector

For the development of industry, a raw material base was needed, in connection with this, geological exploration work was started throughout the country, and both foreign and local specialists were involved.

During this period, deposits of carnelian, saltpeter, peat, coal, crystal, etc. were discovered.

New enterprises were introduced (in the Ryazan region - coal was mined by the Rimin brothers, peat - by von Azmus). Transformations were carried out at mining and iron factories, sericulture and sheep breeding, leather production and other sectors of the economy.

According to the reforms of Peter the Great, decrees were issued that contained such instructions as “what exactly?”, “how?”, “how much?” and “from what?” produce goods.

Failure to comply with decrees was punishable by heavy fines and, in some cases, the death penalty.

Results of reforms in industry

As a result of Peter's reforms, several large manufacturing plants arose. The most famous were in the Olonets region. The factories of this region were distinguished by their technical level of equipment and full workforce. To support the activities of mining plants in the Urals and Perm, the city of Yekaterinburg was built.

This widespread development was facilitated by the publication of the “Berg Privilege”, according to which everyone could, of their own free will, develop land in search of precious metals, while paying a tenth of the cost of production, like giving to the state, and 32 shares to the owner of the land.

Thus, by the end of the reign of Tsar Peter the Great, seven million pounds of cast iron and more than two hundred pounds of copper were processed annually at these plants, and deposits of precious metals - gold and silver - were also developed.

Also worth noting are the arms factories in Tula and Sestroretsk.

Thanks to these factories, Russia stopped buying weapons and produced everything it needed itself.

Solving the personnel issue

Peter did not skimp on inviting specialists from Europe, offering them very favorable conditions:

high salary
free housing,
the right to export accumulated wealth after a certain period.

Thousands of craftsmen responded to his proposals; for example, approximately a thousand people were hired from Amsterdam alone.

Measures were also taken to increase the education and activity of the local population, in terms of their technical participation in industrial development:

training young Russians abroad,
training of free, serfs and runaway (since 1720) peasants in manufactories.

However, there were few people willing to work in factories, so the tsar periodically issued decrees on the recruitment of apprentices to manufactories.

In the future, it was decided to encourage landowners in their desire to engage in manufacturing production.

This step made it possible to resolve the issue of filling jobs (serfs were forced to work in factories).

However, the following conditions were created for the workers themselves:

14 hour working day,
the salaries were received mainly by free citizens, of whom there were few. The rest were paid in food and clothing,
salaries at state-owned enterprises were higher than at private enterprises.

Under such conditions, it was not surprising that the quality of the products was low, due to the remaining simple ways processing and low interest of the workers themselves.

However, locally produced products, although slowly, were sold. Since the tsar, following the laws of mercantilism, introduced high duties on foreign goods.

Despite everything, Peter I laid the foundation for the development of industry in Russia and its economic growth. Many new types of production appeared, which undoubtedly improved the quality of life of the people.

Evidence of this is that the people were able to endure a twenty-year war with Sweden.

Economic policy of Peter I

12Next ⇒

All the transformations of Peter I (1682 - 1725) in the field of industry and trade were based on the ideas of mercantilism (this is an economic policy characterized by active state intervention in economic life with the aim of accumulating capital within the country to improve its well-being) and protectionism (supporting the national economy, carried out mainly through trade and political barriers).

At the same time, the state promotes the development of industry, especially manufacturing; supports the expansion of commercial capital (in particular, the creation of monopoly trading companies), the development of navigation and the fleet; sharply increases the level of taxation. In addition, the state encourages the production of “useful and necessary” goods, while simultaneously prohibiting or limiting the production of “unnecessary” goods.

Protectionism is also characterized by financial support for the national economy and stimulation of the export of goods.

Peter I, unlike his predecessors, promoted primarily the development of national industry.

The pinnacle of the protectionist policy of the government of Peter I in the field of industry and trade was the customs tariff of 1724. Now the amount of duties levied on foreign goods depended on the ability of domestic enterprises to satisfy the needs of the domestic market: the more certain goods Russian manufacturers produced, the higher the duty was levied when importing the same goods from abroad.

Predominant development in this period was achieved by those industries that produced products necessary for the army and navy.

During the first quarter of the 18th century. About 100 (according to other sources - 200) manufactories were created instead of 15-20 pre-Petrine ones. The main attention was paid to metallurgy, the center of which moved to the Urals.

Reforms of Peter I

As a result, Russian metallurgy was able to satisfy domestic needs for metal and even sell it abroad (the first batch of 42.4 thousand poods was sold in 1722, and then exports increased from year to year). Cloth, sail-linen, and leather factories appeared in Moscow and other regions of central Russia.

For the first time, paper, glass and even trellis factories were created. However, the growth of industrial production was accompanied by increased exploitation and the expansion of the use of forced labor in factories. The government has taken a number of measures to provide enterprises with labor.

Thus, state peasants were assigned to enterprises. In 1721, a decree was issued giving the owners of manufactories the right to buy peasants (possessed peasants) into their enterprises. In addition, by decree of 1722, manufacturers received the right not to return fugitives who had mastered the craft to the landowners.

Thus, manufactories, which in the West were capitalist enterprises, in Russia developed on a serf-based basis (although skilled workers were mostly civilian). Most of the manufactories at this time were state-owned; The transfer of state-owned enterprises to private owners on preferential terms was also practiced (until 1717).

The development of foreign and especially domestic trade was facilitated by the growth of industry, the creation of a regular army and navy, and the government's tax policy (by 1724

the population census was completed and the poll tax replaced the household tax), the construction of cities, the emergence of new trade routes and ports (for example, the use since 1709 of Riga, Revel, Vyborg, etc., acquired during the Northern War). Not only raw materials were exported from Russia - flax, hemp, leather, mast timber, but also the first products of the young industry - iron and linen. The balance of foreign trade was active for Russia - exports were twice as expensive as imports, and this can be considered one of the main achievements of the mercantilist policy of Peter I, because the influx of precious metals into the country is considered by the mercantilists to be one of the most important indicators of the enrichment of the state.

In agriculture, some changes can be noted due to the increasing demand of the developing industry for agricultural raw materials (measures to develop sheep breeding, expansion of flax crops - in accordance with the needs of cloth and textile factories).

However, basically, agriculture continued to develop extensively (due to the expansion of sown areas, including agricultural colonization of the Volga region, the Urals, and Siberia).

12Next ⇒

Related information:

Search on the site:

Decline of merchants and crafts under Peter I

Peter I destroyed many craft and small industrial industries in the country (leather, textile, metallurgical, etc.), which competed with manufactories (Pokrovsky, vol.

3, p. 125; Tugan-Baranovsky M. Russian factory. M.-L., 1934, p. 19)

Pavlenko mentions many of Peter’s measures that were detrimental to merchants and artisans: the creation in 1696 of 12 kuppaniyas of townspeople for the construction of naval ships, the assignment of tax collectors to merchants, “which distracted them from trading and crafts,” diversion from 1/5 up to 1/3 of townspeople in various services, strict regulation of the activities of merchants, incl.

A 10% rate of profit on the contract price, the expulsion of merchants from the provinces to St. Petersburg by decree of November 20, 1717, which “put them at a loss” and other measures. The ruin of the Russian merchants was stated by the statement of guests and merchants of the living room and cloth hundreds, compiled in 1715 (Pavlenko, p.

Reforms of Peter the Great. Briefly

Anisimov writes that voluntaristic orders, prohibitions and duties imposed on merchants and townspeople had a negative impact on trade and crafts.

According to A.I. Aksenov’s research on the genealogy of the Moscow merchants, after 1705 there was a sharp reduction in the number of merchant families and a decline in the well-being of those who were still engaged in the merchant business (Anisimov, pp. 128-132)

The same negative role in relation to crafts, monopolies and the forced planting of large manufactories and military industries played a role: “The encouragement of some - “useful”, “necessary” types of production, trades and goods inevitably entailed a reduction, limitation or even prohibition of others - “useless” and “unnecessary” from the point of view of the state" (Anisimov, p.

Textbooks put forward other reasons for the decline of crafts or write about their flourishing; nowhere is it said about the decline of the merchant class, but something opposite is said

“Economizing in harsh climatic conditions, the country’s population could not bring agriculture to the level of efficiency when a significant part of the human resources could switch from agriculture to crafts... Hence the relatively modest pace of development of crafts...” (Milov, p.

“And yet Peter I actively intervened in this area of Russian life. The purpose of this intervention was to increase the volume and quality of handicraft production... Peter established a special body - the Chief Magistrate, whose task was to take care of the growth and prosperity of industry in Russian cities - both large manufacturing and small handicraft production.

This concern was expressed in the provision of loans, assistance in purchasing raw materials, and marketing finished products” (Sakharov, p. 577)

“The Tsar in every possible way encouraged the creation of merchant companies, provided merchants with various benefits and privileges... The government in every possible way encouraged the development of a network of both small and large fair trade in the country” (Sakharov, p.

During Peter’s accession, Russian industry, strictly speaking, did not exist and there was only one major merchant in Russia: the Tsar. During the duumvirate of Peter and John, a large reward was promised to the captain of a French ship for importing white paper, wine and some other goods into the country that were difficult to obtain in any other way.

At the same time, the first Russian economist Pososhkov wrote a book - his “Testament”, where he proclaimed contempt for wealth. Twenty years later, the same author wrote, on white paper made in Russia, “A Discourse on Poverty and Wealth,” in which he tries to come up with ways to increase the wealth of the state and individuals and, before Smith and Turgot, explains the benefits of piece work over daily work. Peter did his job.

This is a very significant matter. Judging by the intensity of the efforts, the variety and ingenuity of the means used, the logical coherence of the guiding threads, despite some inconsistency, it deserves an honorable place in the history of the brilliant worker. To increase the well-being of individuals, while at the same time increasing state revenues, to simultaneously create new sources of taxation and new sources of production, to replace imported goods with products of domestic industry; to arouse the activity of the people and their spirit of enterprise; to force idle people, monks, nuns, and beggars to take places in the ranks of the working population; eliminate the indifference and even hostility of the administration towards the productive forces, introduce changes in unsatisfactory justice, eliminate the insufficient development of credit. lack of public safety, create a third estate, and finally introduce Russia into the modern economic movement.

The success of his enterprise was partly spoiled by an unfortunate coincidence and a fundamental mistake. Coincidentally, there was a war with its consequences and inevitable demands. She turned Peter, a staunch opponent of monopolies, into a creator of new monopolies, destroying with one hand what the other was doing. The mistake was his confidence in the ability to create a commercial and industrial life, to supply this creation with organs corresponding to its needs, to give it flesh and blood, then to control its movements, to turn it to the right and to the left, like regiments being created and commanded; by decrees and under the threat of the cane. Commercial and industrial companies made the first attempt of this kind in 1699. The Dutch were scared at first, but eventually they started laughing.

The war required money; the maintenance of standing troops gave impetus to the spirit of mercantilism in the West, and Peter is a zealous imitator of Colbert. True, Colbert also had no national covenants on his side. Already under Alexei Mikhailovich, perhaps even earlier, the right to import was paid for at Russian customs in Hungarian chervonets or Dutch thalers. Peter preserved, strengthening it, this system, which has survived to this day. He prohibited the export of precious metals, ignoring the warnings of Baudin and Childe about the dangers of such a practice. Having never read Klok, Schroeder or Decker, Pegr went further than them, forbidding his subjects to accept domestic coin as payment for their goods. According to Marperger, around 1723 Russia earned several barrels of gold annually in exchange with foreign countries. Peter also believed in the benefits of protectionism. The ruler of the country, which to this day has remained almost exclusively, in the sense of foreign trade, a producer of raw products, prohibited the export of some of these products, for example, flax, and so limited the right to export the rest that it was almost a prohibition. In anticipation of the opportunity to dress the entire army in locally produced cloth, he himself did not recognize otherwise for his dress and made it mandatory for liveries. When a Frenchman named Mamoron founded a stocking factory in Moscow, Muscovites were forbidden to buy them anywhere else. The industrialists, who were under the patronage of the tsar, hesitated to use the felt they produced for hats; a decree appeared that gave them courage: they were allowed to sell their goods only by releasing a certain number of hats of their production onto the market.

Such persistence of convictions, such an abundance of incentive and coercive measures, moral and monetary support, gradually did their job. Factories arose, some subsidized, others operated directly by the sovereign, others, finally, existing own funds. The Empress maintained a tulle factory and a starch factory in Yekateringof. Peter, who at first limited his activity to the production of items related to navigation: sailing cloth, saltpeter, sulfur, leather, weapons, gradually and partly against his will, also expanded its scope. We see him as a manufacturer of Kolomyanka in St. Petersburg, paper in Dudergof, cloth almost everywhere.

Unfortunately, all these institutions were far from thriving. It was in vain that the sovereign sold the Kolomyanka at a loss, giving five kopecks for an arshin of material that cost him fifteen. But, as usual, he continued to persist, even expanding the business, trying to introduce the production of luxury goods to his state. Russia produced carpets and tapestries without even having a paper spinning factory! And as always, the king did not limit himself to impulse, he struck from the shoulder. In 1718 The decree prescribed the use of lard instead of tar when processing yuft. A period of two years was given, “to learn this, after which, if anyone makes yufti as before, he will be sent to hard labor and deprived of all his property.”

But, thus scattering himself in all directions, Peter finally stumbled upon grateful, directly productive, inexhaustibly rich soil, and immediately his impetuosity, ardor, and creative passion began to work miracles. He took up the mines. Already under Alexei Mikhailovich, the Dutch and the Dane mined ore and built factories in the vicinity of Moscow and cast cannons. With Peter's intervention, the matter assumed enormous proportions. Having ordered the establishment of ironworks in Verkhoture and Tobolsk by decree in 1697, the tsar had exclusively military purposes in mind: he needed cannons and rifles; but once it started, it went further and further, and the modern widespread development of the Russian mining industry owes its origin to it.

The sovereign began with the mining and processing of iron ore; later he was seized by gold fever. He became even more interested, collecting all the instructions, exploring all the paths. True, numerous expeditions organized by him, Bekovich-Cherkassky to Persia in 1717, Likharev to Siberia in 1719, remained without results. Until 1720, the only silver mines were opened. But along the way, copper was found, again iron and, in 1722, coal. Thirty-six foundries were established in the Kazan province and thirty-nine in the Moscow province.

Private initiative - with the exception of the isolated case of Demidov - remained inactive for a long time. A decree issued in 1719 gives characteristic instructions in this regard: it declares the exploration and extraction of all kinds of metals on all lands without distinction free and accessible to the public. Owners of ore-bearing lands have only the right of primacy. So much the worse for them if they are slow to use it. “If they cannot or do not want it, then the right to build factories is given to others, with the payment to the landowner of 32 shares of the profit, so that God’s blessing does not remain underground in tuna.” Anyone who conceals ore or interferes with its mining is subject to corporal punishment and the death penalty. In 1723 the legislator took another step; he intended to finally end the system of the crown industrial monopoly. To the charter developed by the Manufactory Collegium, he added a manifesto inviting private individuals to replace the state in the operation of institutions of all kinds created by it, offering favorable conditions. And such versatile, persistent efforts did not remain fruitless; the creative movement of life grew, expanded, and domestic industry became a reality.

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”) Russian economic thought was further developed, the theory of mercantilism, which provided for the economic policy of the 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 companies, and agricultural workers are given various privileges 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.

Continuous growth 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 state monopoly for 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, kopeck, 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

In the era of Peter I. Taxes and

Duties of the population.

Introduction of the poll tax

Both in the field of economics and in the field of social policy, Peter I adhered to his main principle - protecting the interests of the nobility as the ruling class in order to strengthen the absolutist state. As a result of Peter's modernization, the nobles not only increased their land ownership, but also the noble rights to land and peasants expanded. The Tsar's decree of 1714 on single inheritance is confirmation of this. The law on single inheritance, firstly, eliminated the distinction between votchina and estate. From now on it is a “real estate” (estate). Secondly, following the example of the English majorate, Peter established an order that did not allow the fragmentation of estates. It passed to one heir. Only movable property could be divided. In addition, during Peter's reforms, the nobility was formalized as a service class.

Tax reform 1718-1724 contributed to the “revision” of the nobility itself. The nobles who had no place and no peasants were excluded from its number. A huge number of such nobles (essentially minor employees) were excluded from the noble class and transferred to a new category - peasants. The “pure” noble class was called the gentry.

Of no small importance for strengthening the position of the nobility as the ruling class was the “Table of Ranks” of 1722. It established a new procedure for obtaining ranks, which were henceforth given only for service. The new document defined four types of service (military, naval, civil and court). In each of them, all positions were divided into 14 classes (from 14th to 1st - highest). A person from other classes who received personal nobility in the 14th grade and rose to the 8th grade acquired hereditary nobility. He could pass on the title of hereditary nobleman to only one son.

Peter I, strengthening the position of the nobility, at the same time demanded that, in the name of the interests of the Fatherland, they must receive education. The Tsar issued a decree that noble children who did not have an education had no right to marry.

In general, in the field of social policy, Peter’s legislation followed in principle that general trend, which emerged in the 17th century. Serfdom, fixed by the Council Code of 1649, received its further development. The situation of the peasantry in the first quarter of the 17th century. got even worse.

The Europeanization of Russia, reforms, the hardships of wars, the creation of industry, etc., of course, required huge expenses and additional financing, reaching up to 80-85% of the initial income. It became obvious that the door-to-door principle of taxation did not bring the expected increase in tax receipts. In order to increase their income, landowners settled several peasant families in one yard, which led to a sharp reduction in the number of households (by 20%) and, accordingly, taxes. Therefore, a new principle of taxation was introduced.

In 1718-1724. On the initiative of Pyotr Alekseevich, a census of the entire male tax-paying population was carried out, regardless of age and ability to work, and “fairy tales” were collected about the number of souls in each village. Then special officials-auditors carried out an audit of souls and compiled lists of the population of the entire country. A total of 5,637,449 male souls were taken into account, who became the main taxpayers.

The introduction of the poll tax meant collecting a tax from one male soul. Before the tax reform, the tax was taken from the household and was the same (households could number 10, twenty people, or more). Now the tax from landowner peasants was 74 kopecks, from state peasants - 1 ruble 14 kopecks, from townspeople - 1 ruble 20 kopecks. Submit applied to whole line categories of the population who had not previously paid it (slaves, “walking people”, single-yard dwellers, black-growing peasantry of the North and Siberia, etc.). Listed social groups constituted the class of state peasants, and the poll tax for them was feudal rent, which they paid to the state. The nobility and clergy were exempt from tax. In addition, all tax-paying classes, with the exception of landowner peasants, paid the state 40 kopecks. “Obrok”, which was supposed to balance their duties with the duties of the landowner peasants (see document No. 3).

The introduction of the poll tax significantly increased the state's taxation. If by 1700 the profit from taxes amounted to 2 million 500 thousand, then in 1724 it amounted to 8 million 500 thousand, and most of this amount was from the poll tax.

Along with the poll tax, peasants paid other taxes and fees designed to replenish the treasury, to create and maintain a cumbersome apparatus of power and administration, army and navy, construction of cities, etc., and bore duties. Peter not only changed the direct tax, but also significantly increased indirect taxes and invented new sources of income. The war required huge additional expenses. If in 1701 and 1706 they amounted to 2.3 million and 2.7 million, respectively, then in 1710 it was already 3.2 million, which significantly exceeded revenues to the state budget. This became the reason for various financial measures of Peter’s government (stamp paper, “spoilage of coins,” “re-issue,” monopoly on the sale of salt, tobacco, etc.). As a result of Peter's reign, state revenues amounted to over 10 million rubles.

Despite significant successes in strengthening the country's budget, a parallel process was going on in parallel - the increasingly worsening situation of the peasants. Both the poll tax and numerous indirect taxes were an extremely difficult duty for the peasants. Peasants also carried out conscription duties, built cities, fleets, and fortresses. Since 1724, they could no longer go to work in the city without a passport (“vacation”) signed by the landowner. The introduction of the passport system by the government of Peter I led to strict control of population migration and further strengthened the serfdom regime.

The sage avoids all extremes.
Lao Tzu

The Russian economy in the 17th century lagged significantly behind European countries. Therefore, the economic policy of Peter 1 was aimed at creating conditions for the economic development of the country in the present and future. Separately, it should be noted that the main direction of economic development of that era was the development, first of all, of the military industry. This is important to understand, since the entire reign of Peter 1 took place during a period of wars, the main one of which was the Northern War.

The economy of the era of Peter should be considered from the point of view of the following components:

State of the economy at the beginning of the era

The Russian economy before Peter 1 came to power had a huge number of problems. Suffice it to say that in a country with a huge amount there were no natural resources required material for their own provision even for the needs of the army. For example, metal for cannons and artillery was purchased in Sweden. The industry was in a declining state. There were only 25 manufactories throughout Russia. For comparison, more than 100 manufactories operated in England during the same period. As for agriculture and trade, the old rules were in effect and these industries practically did not develop.

Features of economic development

Peter's great embassy to Europe revealed to the tsar the problems that existed in the Russian economy. These problems worsened with the outbreak of the Northern War, when Sweden stopped supplying iron (metal). As a result, Peter I was forced to melt church bells into cannons, for which the church almost called him the Antichrist.

The economic development of Russia during the reign of Peter 1 was aimed primarily at the development of the army and navy. It was around these two components that the development of industry and other objects took place. It is important to note that since 1715, individual entrepreneurship began to be encouraged in Russia. Moreover, some of the manufactories and factories were transferred into private hands.

The basic principles of the economic policy of Peter 1 developed in two directions:

Protectionism. This is support for domestic producers and encouragement for the export of goods abroad.
Mercantilism. The predominance of export of goods over import. In economic terms, exports prevail over imports. This is done to concentrate funds within the country.

Industrial development

By the beginning of the reign of Peter I, there were only 25 manufactories in Russia. This is extremely small. The country could not provide itself with even the most necessary things. That is why the beginning of the Northern War was so sad for Russia, since the lack of supplies of the same iron from Sweden made it impossible to wage war.

The main directions of the economic policy of Peter 1 were distributed in 3 main areas: the metallurgical industry, the mining industry, and shipbuilding. In total, by the end of Peter’s reign, there were already 200 manufactories operating in Russia. The best indicator that the economic management system worked is the fact that before Peter came to power, Russia was one of the largest importers of iron, and after Peter 1, Russia took 3rd place in the world in iron production and became an exporting country.

Under Peter the Great, the first industrial centers in the country began to form. Or rather, there were such industrial centers, but their significance was insignificant. It was under Peter that the formation and rise of industry took place in the Urals and Donbass. The downside of industrial growth is attracting private capital and difficult conditions for workers. During this period, assigned and possessional peasants appeared.

Possession peasants appeared by decree of Peter 1 in 1721. They became the property of the manufactory and were obliged to work there all their lives. Possession peasants replaced the assigned peasants, who were recruited from among urban peasants and assigned to a specific factory.
Historical reference

The problem of the peasants, expressed in the creation of the possession peasantry, was associated with the lack of qualified work force in Russia.

The development of industry in the Peter the Great era was distinguished by the following features:

Rapid development of the metallurgical industry.
Active participation states in economic life. The state acted as the customer for all industrial facilities.
Involvement of forced labor. Since 1721, factories have been allowed to buy peasants.
Lack of competition. As a result, large entrepreneurs had no desire to develop their industry, which is why there was a long stagnation in Russia.

In the development of industry, Peter had 2 problems: the weak efficiency of public administration, as well as the lack of interests of large entrepreneurs for development. It was all decided simply - the tsar began to transfer, including large enterprises, to private owners for management. Suffice it to say that by the end of the 17th century famous family The Demidovs controlled 1/3 of all Russian iron.

The figure shows a map of the economic development of Russia under Peter I, as well as the development of industry in the European part of the country.

Agriculture

Let's consider what changes occurred in Russian agriculture during the reign of Peter. The Russian economy under Peter I in the field of agriculture developed along an extensive path. The extensive path, in contrast to the intensive one, did not imply an improvement in working conditions, but an expansion of opportunities. Therefore, under Peter, active development of new arable lands began. Lands were developed most quickly in the Volga region, the Urals, and Siberia. At the same time, Russia continued to remain an agricultural country. Approximately 90% of the population lived in villages and was engaged in agriculture.

The orientation of the country's economy towards the army and navy was also reflected in the agriculture of Russia in the 17th century. In particular, it was precisely because of this direction of the country’s development that sheep and horse breeding began to develop. Sheep were needed to supply the fleet, and horses to form cavalry.

It was during the Peter the Great era that new tools began to be used in agriculture: a scythe and a rake. These tools were purchased from abroad and imposed on the local economy. Since 1715, which year Peter I issued a Decree to expand the sowing of tobacco and hemp.

As a result, an agricultural system was created in which Russia could feed itself, and for the first time in history it began to sell grain abroad.

Trade

The economic policy of Peter I in the field of trade generally corresponds to the overall development of the country. Trade also developed along a protectionist path of development.

Before the era of Peter the Great, all major trade was carried out through the port in Astrakhan. But Peter the Great, who loved St. Petersburg terribly, by his own decree forbade trade through Astrakhan (the Decree was signed in 1713), and demanded a complete transfer of trade to St. Petersburg. This did not bring much effect for Russia, but it was an important factor in strengthening the position of St. Petersburg as a city and the capital of the Empire. Suffice it to say that Astrakhan, as a result of these changes, reduced its trade turnover by about 15 times, and the city gradually began to lose its rich status. Simultaneously with the development of the port in St. Petersburg, ports in Riga, Vyborg, Narva and Revel were actively developing. At the same time, St. Petersburg accounted for approximately 2/3 of foreign trade turnover.

Support for domestic production was achieved through the introduction of high customs duties. So, if a product was produced in Russia, then its customs duty was 75%. If the imported goods were not produced in Russia, then their duty varied from 20% to 30%. At the same time, payment of the duty was made exclusively in foreign currency at a rate favorable to Russia. This was necessary to receive foreign capital and be able to purchase the necessary equipment. Already in 1726, the volume of exports from Russia was 2 times higher than the volume of imports.

The main countries with which Russia traded in those days were England and Holland.

In many ways, the development of trade was facilitated by the development of transport. In particular, 2 large canals were built:

Vyshnevolotsky Canal (1709). This canal connected the Tvertsa River (a tributary of the Volga) with the Msta River. From there, through Lake Ilmen, a path opened to the Baltic Sea.
Ladoga Obvodny Canal (1718). I was going around Lake Ladoga. This detour was necessary because the lake was turbulent and ships could not move across it.

Finance development

Peter 1 had one strange thing - he loved taxes very much and in every possible way encouraged people who came up with new taxes. It was during this era that taxes were introduced on almost everything: on stoves, on salt, on government forms and even on beards. In those days they even joked that there were no taxes only on air, but such taxes would soon appear. Increasing taxes and their expansion led to popular unrest. For example, the Astrakhan uprising and the uprising of Kondraty Bulavin are the main major discontents masses of that era, but there were also dozens of small performances.

In 1718, the tsar carried out his famous reform, introducing a poll tax in the country. If earlier taxes were paid from the yard, now from every male soul.

Also, one of the main initiatives was the implementation of financial reform of 1700-1704. The main attention in this reform was paid to the minting of new coins, equating the amount of silver in the ruble with silver. The very weight of the Russian ruble was equal to the Dutch guilder.

As a result of financial changes, the growth of revenues to the treasury increased by approximately 3 times. This was a great help for the development of the state, but made it almost impossible to live in the country. Suffice it to say that during the Peter the Great era the population of Russia decreased by 25%, taking into account all the new territories that this tsar conquered.

Consequences of economic development

The main results of the economic development of Russia in the first quarter of the 18th century, during the reign of Peter 1, which can be considered the main ones:

Increase in the number of manufactories by 7 times.
Expansion of production volume within the country.
Russia has taken 3rd place in the world in metal smelting.
New tools began to be used in agriculture, which later proved their effectiveness.
The founding of St. Petersburg and the conquest of the Baltic states expanded trade and economic ties with European countries.
St. Petersburg became the main trade and financial center of Russia.
Due to the government paying attention to trade, the importance of the merchants increased. It was during this period that they established themselves as a strong and influential class.

If we consider these points, a positive reaction to the economic reforms of Peter 1 naturally suggests itself, but here it is important to understand at what cost all this was achieved. The tax burden on the population increased greatly, which automatically caused the impoverishment of most peasant farms. In addition, the need to develop the economy at a rapid pace actually contributed to the strengthening of serfdom.

New and old in Peter's economy

Let's consider a table that presents the main aspects of the economic development of Russia during the reign of Peter 1, indicating which aspects existed before Peter and which appeared under him.

Table: features of the socio-economic life of Russia: what appeared and what was preserved under Peter 1.

Factor	Appeared or persisted
Agriculture as the basis of the country's economy	Preserved
Specialization of economic regions	Appeared. Before Peter there was little specialization.
Active industrial development of the Urals	Appeared
Development of local land tenure	Preserved
The formation of a single all-Russian market	Appeared
Manufacture	Remained, but expanded significantly
Protectionist policy	Appeared
Registration of peasants to factories	Appeared
Excess of goods exports over imports	Appeared
Canal construction	Appeared
Growth in the number of entrepreneurs	Appeared

Regarding the growth in the number of entrepreneurs, it should be noted that Peter 1 actively contributed to this. In particular, he allowed any person, regardless of his origin, to conduct research into the location of minerals and establish his own factories at the location.

Life and way of life of the peoples of Siberia. Material culture of the peoples of the north and Siberia and their way of life

Send your good work in the knowledge base is simple. Use the form below

Development of the state under Peter I

Public Administration Reform

Regional (provincial) reform

Judicial reform

Military reforms

Church reform

Finance development

Financial reform

Monetary reform of Peter I

Conclusion

Similar documents

Industry under Peter 1

Major government reforms and transformations of Peter I the Great

The beginning of reforms in the industrial sector

Results of reforms in industry

Solving the personnel issue

Economic policy of Peter I

Reforms of Peter I

Reforms of Peter the Great. Briefly

State of the economy at the beginning of the era

Features of economic development

Industrial development

Agriculture

Trade

Finance development

Consequences of economic development

New and old in Peter's economy