Economic development 1855-1914 Flashcards
(23 cards)
How did the Russian government encourage early railway development?
Offered subsidies to private developers
What was a key benefit of Russia’s railway expansion pre-1894?
Stimulated raw material production
Who provided technical expertise for early railway construction?
Foreign experts
What major change occurred in railway ownership by 1914?
State owned 66% of 59,616km network
What was completed in 1913 and why significant?
Trans-Siberian Railway - became world’s 2nd largest network
How did railways impact goods prices?
Made transportation cheaper
What was the overall state of heavy industry pre-1894?
Remained weak despite some expansion
Which sectors showed early growth?
Oil and iron ore production
How did Emancipation affect industrial labor?
Freed peasants to urbanize for factory jobs
Where were Russia’s main industrial centers?
St. Petersburg, Moscow, and Eastern Urals
What was Donbas’ significance by 1914?
Produced 87% of coal from 23,300km² region
How much did oil production grow?
Trebled during this period
What happened to industrial workforce size?
Doubled between 1887-1908
What obstacles hindered agricultural progress?
High taxes, requisitioning, and redemption payments
How did Russia compare to Western nations agriculturally?
Remained far behind (e.g. Britain)
What major 1906 agricultural reform occurred?
State land made available to peasants
What were key features of Stolypin’s reforms?
Land ownership rights and plot consolidation
What significant financial burden was lifted?
Redemption payments abolished
How did Stolypin deal with reform opponents?
Dissolved non-reformers
What was the overall trend in state economic involvement?
Increased state control (railways) and intervention (reforms)
How did labor patterns change throughout this period?
Shift from agrarian to more industrial workforce
What contradiction existed in Russia’s economic modernization?
Industrial growth coexisted with persistent agricultural backwardness
What was the overall trend in state economic involvement?
Increased state control (railways) and intervention (reforms)
