Multistructure economy in Russia at the turn of the XIX-XX centuries

A multistructured economy is a special type of economic system based on the simultaneous coexistence of several types of economic management: capitalist, industrial, natural and agricultural. This type of way was typical for post-reform Russia at the turn of the 19-20th centuries. This was due to the accelerated rate of its development after the abolition of serfdom, which, on the one hand, brought it to the top five of the leading industrial powers, and on the other, retained the old semi-feudal system for the bulk of the population, which was still involved in the agrarian sector.

Industrial development

A multi-fold economy for several decades determined the development of our country at the turn of the centuries. Literally in a quarter of a century, Russia in terms of industrial production entered the top five of the leading capitalist powers. In the empire, there were monopolistic associations, cartels and syndicates, which led an active foreign trade, that is, they were part of the world market. At the same time, the main form of combining commodity producers was still small handicraft workshops, crafts, small private enterprises.

A multistructured economy, despite these features, nevertheless did not prevent the development of capitalism in the empire. The point is that for a definitive transition to a new type of economic relations, it took time. We must not forget also the fact that the bulk of the population remained peasants, and rural residents, as is known, were used to living traditional trades from time immemorial, than earning additional income.

Agriculture

A multistructured economy is a type of economic system in which agrarian production remains the dominant branch in the rapid and rapid development of capitalism. Russia at the turn of the century took the leading place in terms of agricultural output.

However, despite the preservation of the leading positions in this sector, our country lagged behind the technical equipment from the leading countries of the world, as serf and semi-serf survivors in the village survived. A multistructure economy in the early 20th century also determined the specifics of rural development in post-reform Russia. Modernization, unfortunately, has negatively affected the peasant economy, which led to the depletion of land and the shortage of this important resource for the bulk of the population of the state.

Commodity production

The multistructured economy of Russia in the beginning of the 20th century was the result of uneven development of industries, as well as disproportions in production. The introduction of capitalism after the abolition of serfdom was not so much a natural way, as it was, for example, in Western Europe, but with the active support of the state. As a result, only a small stratum of the big bourgeoisie adapted to the new mode of production, which took over industrial and banking capital. The peasants continued to lead the traditional economy, producing goods on the market almost manually.

Of course, they were not familiar with modern scientific technologies, and their commodity production was distinguished by primitiveness and simplicity. The preservation of old remnants sharply contrasted with the active introduction of new technology into production, what the state and the bourgeoisie were actively engaged in.

Estimates

The multifaceted nature of the economy at the turn of the century has long been controversial in Russian historiography. In Soviet times, the opinion that Lenin had already expressed was confirmed in science, that in Russia capitalism reached its highest stage of development and grew into imperialism.

Thus, he justified the need for a revolution to move on to the next stage - socialism. However, already in the second half of the 20th century, some scholars questioned this thesis, paying attention to the preservation of feudal remnants in the countryside, handicrafts, and the dominance of the agricultural sector over the industrial one. This point of view was developed by modern scientists, and in our time it is recognized and proven that at the considered time the Russian economy was multistructural.