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The history of the world economy - Polyak GB

14. The economy of Russia in the feudal period (XII-XV centuries.)

At the turn of XI-XII centuries. united state of Kievan Rus is divided into a number of separate independent kingdoms and lands. Since that time, according to the chronicler, no one from the Rurik princes does not keep "all Russian authorities" and not a "despotism of land Rust". The period of feudal fragmentation, natural history phase, covering the XII-XV centuries. In turn, this period is divided into pre-Mongol (1237- to 1241), when Russia continued to flourish, and the period of Mongol rule, which lasted until 1480, when overcome by a general decline in agricultural production and revived handicrafts and construction.

Feudal fragmentation was preceded by strife, aggravated in the second half of XI century. In 1097, at the prince's Congress in Lyubech it was approved a new device power in Russia: "koji yes keeps his paternal." It was begun consolidating legal separation of Kievan Rus. Invited to the throne of Kiev Vladimir Monomakh restored the unity of the Russian state, but not for long. The objective historical process can not be prevented. In addition, the power of Kievan Rus invasion undermined the eastern nomads - Pechenegs and Polovtsy. Kievan Rus was experiencing economic and political decline.

14.1. Causes of feudal fragmentation

Causes of feudal disintegration of Kievan Rus related, on the one hand, with the features of the socio-economic development of the Russian land, and on the other - with the general laws of development of the feudal mode of production, manifested not only in the history of the country, but also in the history of the world economy.

The defining feature of the feudal system is the dominance of the subsistence economy, when the economy is a set of closed economic units. In Russia, this form of organization of production were fiefdoms, operating on the principle of self-sufficiency. The estates produced everything necessary to ensure the material needs of the residents (the population), which is due to the weakness of economic ties between the fiefdoms and kingdoms between the individual and the irregularity of these links.

Another general law of feudal economy is a process of concentration of land ownership in the hands of the ruling class, as more and more of the land became inherited that led to the continuation of the seizure of communal land lords and their desire to gain more power in the field. A striking example of such ambitions is the feudal system banalité in Western Europe and in Russia Tarhan letters. In Kievan Rus feudal lords besides oboyarivaniya land enslaved serfs, commoners, increased dues and service, we have made every effort to ensure, to personally get to them penalties (vira) and pass judgment on them. Therefore, in the West, and in the Kievan Rus ripened contradictions between the feudal lords and the central government (the Kings in the European countries, the great princes - in Kiev).

From these contradictions are born immunitetnye letters that express consent to the non-interference of the Grand Duke in the patrimony of the case. However, despite the fact that this requirement is recorded "Russian Truth", that the local princes and boyars gained greater autonomy in all matters, great princes of Kiev continued to attract the boyars with their warriors to participate in military campaigns. This did not coincide with the interests of large landowners, the boyars, in many cases refused to service the Grand Duke. Hence the conflicts between the central government and the boyars, the desire of the latter to separatism and expeditious collection of political and economic independence, their support of local authorities - the prince, on the one hand, understands the importance of Boyarsky support, and on the other hand, he helped the boyars in its relations with rural and urban population, as well as in the event of war with foreign invaders.

The trend of increased centrifugal forces in the Kiev Rusisygrali their role and the city. In the XI-XII centuries. place of growth and consolidation, and, consequently, the citizens have shown interest in obtaining economic and political independence. Many of the cities have become centers of land, which the princes maintained, as noted, the local boyars. In Russia, there were cities where the significant role played by the Chamber (public meeting), undoubtedly expressed the idea of the state of decentralization and autonomy of local authorities in Kiev.

He played a role and such a reason, as a weakening of the economic value of the trade route "from the Vikings to the Greeks." During the period of the Crusades (. XI-XII centuries) was the movement of trade and transport routes to the Mediterranean Sea, and the main role in the trade relations of Europe and Asia has moved to the Italian cities - Venice and Genoa. During this period, Kiev lost the status of a major international commercial center, it has reduced revenue receipts from foreign trade and narrowed the financial support base of centralized authority, its administrative apparatus and army.

To strengthen the centrifugal tendencies pushed wide practice of granting Grand Prince appanage lands of their successors - sons. Many of the Kievan princes were many children. The first section of land Kiev implemented Vladimir the Red Sun, whose sons at the beginning of the XI century. They were endless quarrels. Vladimir I took his twelve sons to inherit in different Russian lands. Grand Prince Yaroslav the Wise divided the state before he died between five sons. So did other princes.

Thus, feudal fragmentation, which came in Kievan Rus in the XII century., Was an objective process, a natural stage in the development of the feudal system, which survived and Europe.

It is at this stage, and in Russia, and other countries formed medium-sized public education began to take shape a common national idea and national identity of the people. And only at the next stage of human society from the early feudal organization will proceed to the formation of large centralized states -. France, England, Poland, Russia, etc. By this time, there will be significant changes in the socio-economic level of development of feudalism.