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The history of the world economy - Polyak GB

32.2. Industrial development in Russia in 1909-1915 gg.

Factors of a new industrial boom

In 1909 began a new industrial boom, which lasted until the First World War. During this period, industrial production increased by almost 1.5 times. Lifting 1909- 1813 biennium. It became a major stage in the economic development of tsarist Russia. The economic recovery has been typical of all branches of production.

Accelerate new industrial expansion promoted by the following factors: an increase in purchasing power (during the revolution of 1905-1907 workers have higher wages by 15%, which averaged 238 rubles, peasants - the abolition of redemption payments, up to 80 million rubles.... in year); the development of the internal market (turnover for the period increased by 1.5 times and amounted to 2.3 bln. rub.); Stolypin agrarian reform, higher yields in agriculture in 1909-1913 years. (Exception was only 1911); increase the marketability of agricultural products, which allowed Russia to sharply increase grain exports to foreign markets, where the price of bread has increased by 35%; the growth of the urban population, which amounted to 23.3 million. pers., at 8.6 million. (from 1900 to 1914.). The overall growth of the population, particularly the urban, contributed to the development of industries that were supposed to meet the needs of the metal and building materials, urban transport and urban upgrading.
Dynamics of recovery

Growth in the number of branches were markedly higher than in the boom years of 90th. Already in 1909, the total industrial output grew by 2.9%, and next year - 17.6%. Faster overcome the crisis of the enterprise, equipped with modern appliances. These were the plants of Southern Russia, a new industrial center. Installed power companies here was higher than the average 3.3 times. The highest growth rates were typical for industries with a high level of monopolization (engineering, metallurgy, fuel industry). Industrial production growth in 1900-1913 years. in industries producing means of production was much higher than in industries producing consumer goods: respectively 85.6 and 40.8%.

Particularly rapidly growing military industry, the construction of warships. Government orders accelerated the development of the plants associated with the production of weapons and ammunition. Significant advances have been in the metal industry. The cost of metal working products in 1913 amounted to 861 million. Rubles.

On the development of industry data show: pig iron increased to 283 million pounds in 1913 (in 1908, 171 million pounds.), Iron and steel - up to 247 million pounds (in 1908 - 148 million pounds)... . It was not enough high rate of development of the coal industry - the years of raising production increased by only 38% and accounted for in 1913, 2.214 billion pounds..

Light industry leading position occupied the textile and food industries. The cost of the food industry in 1913 was determined by 1.861 billion rubles, and textile -.. 1.855 billion rubles.. A very high rate of development has been rubber and leather and footwear industry, production of which increased by 160%.

The regional distribution of productive forces big changes have occurred, remained uneven industrial development. There is still a major industry was concentrated in six areas: Central Industrial, North-West, the Baltic, the South, the Polish and the Urals, which produces 75% of gross production and 79% of all factory workers were concentrated. Iron and steel industry of the Urals behind in its development of the metallurgy of the South, which plants smelted iron and steel is three times more than in the Urals. The driving position of Donbass strengthened not only in industry but also in the coal industry.

Others Russian regions - Siberia, the Far East, Central Asia - were industrially underdeveloped or almost not affected by industrial development.

Along with the large capitalist enterprises (29.4 thous. In the factory and mining) operated up to 150 ths. Small enterprises with number of workers from 2 to 15 pers., In which about 800 thousand. Workers producing goods was occupied by 700 mln. rub. Thus, among the northwestern provinces (Pskov, Novgorod, and others.) Factory industry prevailed only in the Petersburg province.

Increased length of railways and freight turnover. In 1911-1913 gg. about 3.5 thousand. kilometers of roads have been built. The growth of railway construction was carried out by private and public capital. State-owned railway construction before the war has decreased and amounted to 25% of the total construction. Built railway Orenburg - Tashkent provided a way out of Central Asian cotton to cotton companies, has stepped up trade in Central Russia with Kazakhstan and Central Asia. In 1915 it completed the construction of the Amur railroad, which connected the Siberian Railway to Vladivostok. Of the total length of the railway network of 43.7 thousand. Kilometers accounted for by the treasury, while the share of private roads amounted to 21.6 thousand. Miles.

First on the Trans-Baikal Railway

Important role continued to play river transport, which has about 31 thousand. Vessels, including 5556 steam. On the Kolomna plant in 1907, the world's first river boat was built. On the eve of the war of the 80 ships in the world, 70 were built in Russia. The large volume of cargo accounted for cartage, but the Russian roads were very few.

Despite great strides in industrial development, Russia has not overcome the backwardness of the advanced industrial countries. In terms of industrial production, it ranked fourth in Europe and fifth in the world. In 1913, at 14.5 times less industrial products were produced in Russia, the United States than, 5.9 times less than in Germany, 4.5 times less than in England. Especially behind Russia in per capita industrial production of the population: 13 times less than in Germany, 14 times less than England, 21.4 times less than the United States.

The growth of monopolies

Socio-economic backwardness did not prevent Russia to enter the stage of imperialism, the domination of monopoly capital approval simultaneously with the developed countries of the world. Russian imperialism determined common to all features of the imperialist countries, the laws, contradictions, but had its own specific features.

An important feature of monopoly capitalism has been the concentration of production, which is particularly increased in the metallurgical, machine-building, the cotton industry. If large enterprises with the number of workers more than 500 people. in 1900 it accounted for 3.6% of the total, in 1903 - 4.1%. These enterprises 48.7% of industrial workers were concentrated. High concentration was characteristic of the new industrial areas. So, if in the Donbass coal mining industry in 1890, with the number of workers more than 500 had 8 mines with production of 9.6 million. Pounds of coal, then in 1903 there were already large mines 44, and production amounted to more than 13 million. Pounds.

High concentration of industrial production in Russia contributed to the large state orders for military products in mechanical engineering and metallurgy, as well as the fact that the company incurred at the turn of XIX -. XX century, built a large capitalist enterprises. The level of concentration of production in the beginning of XX century. Russia was one of the first places in the world. In enterprises with number of workers more than 500 people. only 33% - 54% of the total number of workers in the US were employed.

In 1910, nine of the largest steel plants allowed more than half the production of pig iron in the country, and the six largest companies in the oil industry extracted 65% of the total volume of oil.

The process of monopolization, coverage of important sectors of the economy, increased during the crisis and depression. The monopolization of capitalism and concentration of production were decisive precondition escalating industrial capitalism into imperialism. Monopolies in Russia began to emerge in the 80s and especially in the new industries. The first monopolies were "rail manufacturers Union" Convention of entrepreneurs for the production of nails, wire, Sugar cartel, syndicate Baku kerosene-breeders. These associations were transient, after the expiration of the contract, they broke up.

During the crisis, 1900-1903 gg. It began the process of registration of mass stable monopolies, which became the basis of the economic life of the country. The predominant form of monopolistic unions became syndicates - unions carried out the distribution of orders, raw material purchase and sale of finished products through a single organ sales. The steel industry has taken a leading position syndicate "Prodamet" (Society for the sale of metallurgical products of ferrous metallurgy plants), which produced 80% of the industry production. However, this does not mean the absence of contradictions within the monopoly of association and competition with other monopolistic associations and enterprises.

Plants Nobel Brothers company in the Black City (near Baku)

Companies rolling production in 1902 merged into a syndicate "Truboprodazha". Wire and wire-nail Enterprise formed a syndicate "nail". In non-ferrous metallurgy was the largest monopolistic organization Joint Stock Company "Copper", has won the exclusive right to sell and buy products copper-works. The high level of monopolisation was in engineering, where the act of association "Prodparovoz", "Prodvagon" (controlled by about 100% production of cars). In the oil industry 80% of total Russian sales of kerosene controlled cartel "Nobelmazut". "Society for trading mineral fuels Donetsk Basin" ( "Produgol", which arose in 1904) brought together 75% of the Donbass coal mining, and then established control over the associations that implement the coal in Siberia, Poland, in the Urals.

The military group operated monopolies engaged in the production of artillery shells, tower systems for warships. Created by monopolistic unions, and in the light industry, uniting St. Petersburg and Łódź, cotton, linen, jute and other enterprises.

In the first decade of XX century. monopolization process affected virtually all sectors of industry, syndicates dominated the domestic market and were looking for a way out to the foreign market. On January 1, 1909, there were 140 monopolistic unions in 45 industries.

In the boom years 1909-1913 gg. the formation of new syndicates and cartels, as well as the emergence of monopolies higher type - the trusts and corporations on the basis of the merger of separate companies into one or the overall financial management. For monopolies highest type was characterized by:

1) leadership of the bank;

2) enterprises involved in the issues of the distribution of packages of shares;

3) establishment of subsidiaries;

4) preservation of formal independence were part of the business combination.

The formation of the trusts was the most active in heavy industry. The organization of monopolies in the industry attended government circles.

Strengthening the role of banks

The formation of monopolistic unions proceeded in an acute competition for control of trusts both among foreign and Russian financial capital, and among Russian banks. The fight ended with the emergence of the financial and industrial groups, among which enjoyed great influence Russian-Asian and St.Petersburg International Commercial Bank.

The structure of the Russian-Asian Bank was part of the military-industrial group headed by the association "Society Putilov-ing plants", "Association of the Nevsky shipbuilding and mechanical plant", "Society of Tula iron foundry", the oil trusts AI Mantashev, SG "Oil" Lionozova and partnership. In addition, under the control of Russian-Asian Bank are large transport, machine-building, mining and coal enterprises. The basic capital of the company amounts to 85 million. Rubles.

Having established control over a number of industrial enterprises, the St. Petersburg International Commercial Bank has created two monopoly groups - "Nawal-Russud" and "Kolomna, Sormovo". "Nawal-Russud united shipyards:" Russian shipbuilding company "and" company Nikolaev shipyards ", carried out by military shipbuilding for the Black Sea Fleet," Kolomna, Sormovo "concentrated monopoly of shipbuilding in the Volga basin.

Splicing industry and the banks and the development of higher types of monopolies were common to other industries.

financial oligarchy

The pre-war industrial boom was an important step in the folding of the financial capital of the country. There are changes in the system of financing the industry. The state encourages lending by Russian banks industry. The amount of deposits in the credit system amounted to 1913 4.7 billion. rub., which made it possible to meet the needs of a loan by the internal market. At the same time, the country's financial groups are gaining strength, seeking to get out from under state control, in fact, use it to your advantage.

From 1908 to 1913. the number of banks in Russia has doubled and amounted to 2393, and their resources - 7 bln. rub. The major institutions of the credit system were State Bank and joint-stock commercial banks, which by 1914 concentrated 70% of all deposits and current accounts. Investments by the State Bank industry has not always been a commercial operation, generating a profit. Often he singled out loans to enterprises and joint-stock commercial banks in difficulty. During the industrial boom years 1909-1913. National Bank has extended loans to turnover, the grain trade. The Ministry of Finance submits to the State Bank is an instrument of state policy and contributed to the folding state-monopoly capitalism trends.

The five largest banks in St. Petersburg has been concentrated almost half of the resources and active operations of joint-stock banks. By 1914, the share of 12 largest banks in the free balance of joint-stock banks reached 80%. Of the liability of intermediaries, banks turned to the monopolists of the money market. The largest monopoly banking groups were Russian-Asian Bank, the World Bank, the Azov-Don Bank.

With the economic crisis in the beginning of XX century. intensified the process of merging banking and industrial capital. The composition of the boards of industrial enterprises began to enter the representatives of banks, which subordinates not only the individual enterprise, but also the whole industry. Under the influence of the banks were metalworking, oil, cement and other industries. This influence was fixed personal union. So, the director and board member of the St. Petersburg eight banks included in the board of more than 200 industrial enterprises, and large industrialists were elected to the Board. Leaders of the largest banks in AI Putilov, AI Vyshnegradsky, VA Kamenka and others were part of the board of many industrial enterprises. The result of matching financial and industrial capital was the formation of a financial oligarchy.

Foreign capital in Russia

The increasing role of banks in the economic life of the capital in Russia caused a large-scale offensive of foreign capital in the European financial system of Russia. By 1914, 45% of the share capital of the ten largest commercial banks of the country was foreign capital. This allowed foreign investors to expand its sphere of influence in the Russian economy, to penetrate into many industries, including the military. There was intertwining of interests of Russian and foreign capital, which has led to the creation of a number of international monopolies ( "Russian General Petroleum Corporation" and others.). Although the inflow of foreign capital in Russian banks and the industry has increased, but its share in total fixed capital formation in the country has decreased.

The main focus of foreign investment was heavy industry. French and Belgian capitals penetrated into the metallurgical and coal industry of the South. In the oil industry figured prominently English trust "Oil" and the Anglo-Dutch trust "Royal dacht shell." The German capital were sent in heavy industry in Poland and the Baltic States and Russia have arisen in subsidiaries chemical and electrical industries. Based foreign-owned companies became part of the Russian economy.