Abstract: Economic reforms of Peter the Great. Economic reforms of Peter the Great

Peter the Great is a controversial figure in world history. Assessing the reforms of Peter I briefly, some historians consider him the Great Reformer, who managed to turn the development of Russia along a different course. Others are almost the Antichrist, who went backwards against the previous orders and church foundations, destroying the usual way of life of the Russian people.

Coming to power and prerequisites

Pyotr Alekseevich Romanov (1672-1725) was the son of Tsar Alexei Mikhailovich from his second marriage. He was proclaimed tsar together with his half-brother Ivan in 1682. Due to the young age of both, the country was actually ruled by their older sister Sophia.

In 1689, Sophia was removed from the throne. Power completely passed into the hands of Peter. Although formally Ivan continued to be considered a co-ruler, he was too weak and ill to participate in the affairs of the state.

The state was in a difficult situation: the Moscow kingdom was in a state of another war with the Ottoman Empire. In search of allies, Peter 1 went on a trip to Europe with the aim of concluding political alliances. Getting acquainted with the culture and structure of European countries, he saw firsthand how Russia lagged behind the Western powers in development. Peter 1 realized that the time had come for change. Returning to his homeland, he decisively began to “cut a window to Europe”.

The reforms of Peter the Great are shown in the table.

Foreign policy and military reform of Peter I

The young tsar planned to pursue a rather aggressive foreign policy. Peter intended to strengthen Russia's influence in the international arena, expand its borders and gain access to the ice-free seas - the Azov, Black and Caspian seas. To achieve such ambitious goals, it was necessary to build a combat-ready army.

Peter has been interested in military affairs since childhood. For the young prince, amusing (Petrine) regiments were created - special military formations for studying battle tactics and weapons handling techniques. It was then that Peter developed his views on what the Russian army should look like in the future. After coming to power, these views formed the basis of the military reform of Peter I.

Military reform had five main directions:

Thanks to these changes, the Russian army was able to become one of the strongest at that time. This was especially evident during the Northern War, where the troops of Peter 1 defeated the exemplary Swedish army.

Administrative-territorial changes

The domestic policy of Peter 1 was aimed at creating an absolute monarchy by strengthening the vertical of power based on local self-government, as well as strengthening police supervision to prevent and quickly suppress revolts.

Administrative reforms can be divided into 2 categories:

• central management;
• local government.

The reason for the transformation of central government bodies was Peter's desire to replace the old bureaucratic machine and build a new model of power.

The result of the reform was the creation of:

• Consultation of Ministers (Senate)- an authority to govern the state during the absence of the king. Senators were appointed personally by Peter 1;
• Synod- was created instead of the abolished position of patriarch to manage church affairs. The church became subordinate to the state;
• Collegiums- government bodies, which were clearly divided into departments and replaced the outdated system of orders;
• Secret Chancery- an organization whose activities consisted of persecuting opponents of the tsar’s policies.

The prerequisite for local government reforms was the war with Sweden and the need for a more efficient state apparatus.

According to the provincial (regional) reform, the country was divided into provinces, districts and provinces. This structure made it possible to more efficiently collect taxes from tax-paying classes in each region. A separate military unit was attached to the province, which the inhabitants of the province had to support, provide food and housing. In case of war, recruits from local residents joined the same military unit and could be instantly transferred to places of hostilities. Governors were appointed personally by Peter.

Urban reform was rather unsystematic and took place in several stages. The main goal was to collect as much taxes as possible from the population.

In 1699, the Burmist Chamber was created, which was popularly dubbed the Town Hall. The main functions of the Town Hall were collecting taxes and providing housing for the army. It was an elected body; elections were possible only if the city paid double taxes. Naturally, most cities did not appreciate the reform.

After the end of the Northern War, the second stage of urban reform began. Cities were divided into categories (depending on the number of households), and citizens were divided into categories (taxable and non-taxable).

During administrative reforms, Peter also undertook judicial reform. The purpose of the reform was to separate the branches of government and create courts independent from the city or provincial administration. Peter himself became the supreme judge. He conducted trials of the most important state affairs. Hearings on political cases were handled by the Secret Chancellery. The Senate and the Collegium (with the exception of the Collegium of Foreign Affairs) also had judicial functions. Court and lower courts were created in the provinces.

Economic transformation

The socio-economic situation in Russia was unenviable. In conditions of an aggressive foreign policy and constant wars, the country needed a lot of resources and money. Peter's reformist mind persistently searched for ways to obtain new financial sources.

Tax reform was carried out. Its main feature was the introduction of a poll tax - funds were collected from each person, whereas previously the tax was collected from the yard. This made it possible to fill the budget, but increased social tension, and the number of peasant uprisings and riots increased.

To develop the backward Russian industry, Peter 1 actively used the help of foreign specialists and invited the best European engineers to his court. But there was a catastrophic shortage of workers. Therefore, with the growth of production and the opening of new factories, instead of a capitation payment, a serf could be assigned to a factory and undertake to work there for a certain amount of time.

Peter encouraged the construction of factories and provided merchants with a wide range of benefits. Enterprises were also built with public money, and later transferred to private hands. If the chosen owner of the factory could not cope with production and was at a loss, Peter took the enterprise back into state ownership, and the careless industrialist could be executed.

But clumsy Russian products could not adequately compete with advanced European ones. To support domestic production, Peter began to use a policy of protectionism - high duties were introduced on the import of foreign goods.

Peter actively promoted trade. He understood that for this it was necessary to develop a convenient transport system. New water canals were laid (Ivanovsky, Staroladozhsky, Tveretsky), and overland communication routes were built.

During the reign of Peter 1, a monetary reform was also carried out. The ruble began to be equal to 100 kopecks, or 200 money. Lighter silver coins were minted. For trade needs, round copper coins were introduced into use. For the needs of the state, 5 mints were established.

Innovations in the field of culture

Peter the Great sought to introduce Russia to European cultural traditions. He perceived the norms of appearance and behavior established in the era of the 18th century in Russian society extremely negatively, considering them barbaric and outdated.

The tsar began his transformative activities with the creation of the Council - an entertainment and debauchery event. The cathedral ridiculed the rituals carried out in the Catholic and Orthodox churches, parodied them, accompanied by libelous language and the use of alcohol. It was created with the aim of reducing the importance of the church and the influence of the clergy on the common people.

While traveling around Europe, Peter became addicted to such a bad habit as smoking. In Russia, according to the decree of 1634, the use of tobacco and its sale were prohibited. According to this decree, smokers had to have their noses cut off. Naturally, the tsar became more loyal in this matter, lifted the previous ban, and as a result, soon their own tobacco plantations began to be created on Russian territory.

Under Peter 1, the state began to live according to the new, Julian calendar. Previously, the countdown started from the day of the creation of the world, and the New Year began on September 1. The decree was issued in December, so since then January has become the beginning not only of a new calendar, but also of the year.

Peter's reforms also affected the appearance of his subjects. From his youth, he ridiculed baggy, long and uncomfortable court clothes. Therefore, with a new decree, he ordered that class nobles wear European-style clothing - German or French clothing was used as an example. People who did not follow the new fashion could simply be grabbed in the middle of the street and “cut off the excess” - reshaping their clothes in a new way.

Beards also fell out of favor with Peter. He himself did not wear a beard, and did not accept all the talk that it was a symbol of the honor and dignity of the Russian person. All boyars, merchants and military men were required by law to cut their beards. For some disobedient ones, Peter cut them down personally. The clergy and village residents were allowed to keep beards, but upon entering the city, bearded men had to pay a tax for it.

A public theater was created to ridicule Russian traditions and customs, as well as to promote Western culture. Admission was free, but the theater did not gain success with the public and did not last long. Therefore, Peter issued a new decree on entertainment for the nobility - Assemblies. Thus, the king wanted to introduce his subjects to the life of the average European.

Not only nobles, but also their wives had to attend the Assemblies. Unbridled fun was expected - conversations, dancing, playing cards and chess. Smoking and drinking alcoholic beverages were encouraged. Among the nobility, the Assemblies caused negativity and were considered indecent - due to the participation of women in them, and having fun under duress was not a pleasure.

Tsar Peter Alekseevich was nicknamed the great reformer because changes took place in all spheres of human activity. He did not bypass the economy either.

Reforms of Peter I in the field of economics

The young tsar returned from the Great Embassy to Russia with the firm conviction that Russia needs modernization and reorientation from east to west. In short, everything and everywhere had to be redone. Reforms in the social and cultural spheres were difficult and were rejected by society in every possible way.

Everything changed with the beginning of the Northern War. It was she who showed the military, technical and economic backwardness of Russia compared to the European powers. The defeat at Narva and the invasion of the Swedish army into Ukraine forced Peter to speed up the implementation of socio-economic reforms.

Rice. 1. Portrait of Peter I.

It is necessary to understand that the economic reforms of Peter the Great were not planned in the form in which they took place. The essence of all his transformations came down to achieving one goal - victory in the Northern War, which he lived for 21 years. That is why metallurgy, textile and cloth manufacturing received a special impetus.

In the Urals, the accelerated construction of metallurgical plants begins, in which the industrialists the Demidovs took the leading role. Almost all of them were engaged in the production of cannonballs and bullets for muskets. Several Ural factories were engaged in the mining and smelting of silver, which had a strong influence on the development of the mint in Russia.

The construction of shipyards was actively underway in port cities, which could not but affect the development of trade. It consisted of several levels: from specific trades in the regions to wholesale purchases abroad. A whole network of customs duties was formed within the country, the development of which led to the construction of river canals.

TOP 4 articleswho are reading along with this

It was Peter’s policy that had historical consequences on the development of such cities as St. Petersburg, Astrakhan, Riga, Narva, Vyborg and Revel. Having gained access to the Baltic and Caspian Sea, Russia began to export many specific goods without trade markups, supplying them directly to leading European countries. This included furs, walrus tusk, whalebone and other unique resources.

Rice. 2. Construction of St. Petersburg.

Table “Reforms of Peter I in the field of economics”

INTRODUCTION TO THE ABSTRACT

During the reign of Peter the Great, reforms were carried out in all areas of the country's public life. Many of these transformations go back to the 17th century - the socio-economic transformations of that time served as the prerequisites for Peter's reforms, the task and content of which was the formation of the noble-bureaucratic apparatus.

Increasing class contradictions led to the need to strengthen and strengthen the autocratic apparatus in the center and locally, centralize control, and build a harmonious and flexible system of administrative apparatus, strictly controlled by the highest authorities. It was also necessary to create a combat-ready regular military force to pursue a more aggressive foreign policy and suppress the increasing frequency of popular movements. It was necessary to consolidate the dominant position of the nobility by legal acts and provide it with a central, leading place in state life. All this together led to the implementation of reforms in various spheres of state activity. For two and a half centuries, historians, philosophers and writers have been arguing about the significance of Petrine reforms, but regardless of the point of view of one researcher or another, everyone agrees on one thing - it was one of the most important stages in the history of Russia, thanks to which it can be divided into pre-Petrine and post-Petrine eras . In Russian history it is difficult to find a figure equal to Peter in terms of the scale of his interests and the ability to see the main thing in the problem being solved. The specific historical assessment of reforms depends on what is considered useful for Russia, what is harmful, what is the main thing, and what is secondary.

The famous historian Sergei Mikhailovich Solovyov, who probably most deeply studied the personality and actions of Peter the Great, wrote: “The difference in views... stemmed from the enormity of the deed accomplished by Peter, the duration of the influence of this deed; The more significant a phenomenon is, the more contradictory views and opinions it gives rise to, and the longer they talk about it, the longer they feel its influence.”

As already mentioned, the prerequisites for Peter’s reforms were the transformations of the late 17th century. In the second half of this century, the system of public administration changes, becoming more centralized. Attempts were also made to more clearly delimit the functions and spheres of activity of various orders, and the beginnings of a regular army appeared - regiments of a foreign system. Changes took place in culture: the theater and the first higher education institution appeared.

But despite the fact that almost all of Peter the Great’s reforms were preceded by one or another state initiative of the 17th century, they were certainly of a revolutionary nature. After the death of the emperor in 1725, Russia was on the path to transforming into a completely different country: from the Moscow state, whose contacts with Europe were rather limited, it turned into the Russian Empire - one of the greatest powers in the world. Peter turned Russia into a truly European country (at least as he understood it) - it’s not for nothing that the expression “cut a window to Europe” became so frequently used. Milestones on this path were the conquest of access to the Baltic, the construction of a new capital - St. Petersburg, and active intervention in European politics.

Peter’s activities created all the conditions for Russia’s wider acquaintance with the culture, way of life, and technologies of European civilization, which was the beginning of a rather painful process of breaking the norms and ideas of Muscovite Rus'.

Another important feature of Peter’s reforms was that they affected all layers of society, unlike previous attempts by Russian rulers. The construction of the fleet, the Northern War, the creation of a new capital - all this became the work of the entire country.

Currently, Russia, like two centuries ago, is in the stage of reforms, so an analysis of Peter’s transformations is now especially necessary.

Economic reforms

During the Peter the Great era, the Russian economy, and, above all, industry, made a giant leap. At the same time, the development of the economy in the first quarter of the 18th century followed the paths outlined by the previous period. In the Moscow state of the 16th-17th centuries there were large industrial enterprises - the Cannon Yard, the Printing Yard, arms factories in Tula, a shipyard in Dedinovo, etc. Peter's policy regarding economic life was characterized by a high degree of use of command and protectionist methods.

In agriculture, opportunities for improvement were drawn from the further development of fertile lands, the cultivation of industrial crops that provided raw materials for industry, the development of livestock farming, the advancement of agriculture to the east and south, as well as more intensive exploitation of peasants.

The state's increased needs for raw materials for Russian industry led to the widespread spread of crops such as flax and hemp. A decree of 1715 encouraged the cultivation of flax and hemp, as well as tobacco and mulberry trees for silkworms. The decree of 1712 ordered the creation of horse breeding farms in the Kazan, Azov and Kyiv provinces, and sheep breeding was also encouraged.

In the Petrine era, the country sharply divided into two zones of feudal farming - the barren North, where the feudal lords transferred their peasants to cash rent, often releasing them to the city and other agricultural areas to earn money, and the fertile South, where noble landowners sought to expansion of corvée.

State duties for peasants also increased. With their efforts, cities were built (40 thousand peasants worked on the construction of St. Petersburg), manufactories, bridges, roads; Annual recruitment drives were carried out, old monetary fees were increased and new ones were introduced. The main goal of Peter's policy was always to obtain as much monetary and human resources as possible for state needs.

Two censuses were carried out - in 1710 and 1718. According to the 1718 census, the unit of taxation became the male “soul,” regardless of age, from which a poll tax of 70 kopecks per year was levied (from state peasants - 1 rub. 10 kopecks per year).

This streamlined the tax policy and sharply increased the state's income (about 4 times; by the end of Peter's reign they amounted to 12 million rubles per year).

In industry there was a sharp reorientation from small peasant and handicraft farms to manufactories. Under Peter, at least 200 new manufactories were founded, and he encouraged their creation in every possible way. State policy was also aimed at protecting the young Russian industry from competition from Western European industry by introducing very high customs duties (Customs Charter of 1724)

• Similar works:

  Abstract >> And political science" Discipline "History of Russia" Abstract Economic reform Petra I Student of FC group 1-6 Gromyko V.A. Scientific... reforms I Student of FC group 1-6 Gromyko V.A. Scientific... Move Results Introduction End XVII – first quarter of the 18th century were marked by large-scale reform ...

• Similar works:

  ... I Student of FC group 1-6 Gromyko V.A. Scientific... reform reforms: - administrative transformations……………………………......p. 5 - military I Student of FC group 1-6 Gromyko V.A. Scientific...…………………………………………………...p. 8 - church Economic…………………………………………….....p. 11 - judicial Economic...with political and economic isolation, strengthened...

• Similar works:

  Administrative and economic I Student of FC group 1-6 Gromyko V.A. Scientific... reform I Abstract completed by: Polyakov V.A. Ministry of General and... Tver, 1997 Introduction to the reign reform reforms were held I Student of FC group 1-6 Gromyko V.A. Scientific... in all areas of the state...

• Similar works:

  Checked by: Drobzheva G.M. Tambov 2002 Score reforms reform reforms Slavophiles and Westerners, the Estonian era invariably... , economic and administrative, and could get on the right road only by sharp I Student of FC group 1-6 Gromyko V.A. Scientific...("Story" ...

• During the reign of Peter the Great, reforms were carried out in all areas of the country's public life. Many of these transformations go back to the 17th century - the socio-economic transformations of that time

  look at abstracts similar to "Economic reforms of Peter the Great"

  MINISTRY OF EDUCATION OF THE RUSSIAN FEDERATION

  ALTAI STATE UNIVERSITY

  BIYSKY BRANCH

  BY DISCIPLINE

  "HISTORY OF ECONOMY"

  "Economic reforms of Peter the Great"

  COMPLETED:

  Group student

  CORRESPONDENCE BRANCH

  RYKUN Tatyana Petrovna

  CHECKED:

  C.E.N., ASSOCIATE PROFESSOR

  ORLOV Yuri Ivanovich.

  ALTAI REGION BIYSK
  2002 | |

  | |
  |Introduction to the abstract |
  |page 2-3 |
  |Economic reforms |
  |page 3-6 |
  |State of the financial and credit system of Russia |
  | at the end of the XVII - beginning of the XVIII centuries |
  |page 6-7 |
  |The role of finance in the economic policy of Peter I pp. 8-12|
  |Conclusion |
  |page 13 |
  |List of used literature |
  |page 14 |

  INTRODUCTION TO THE ABSTRACT

  During the reign of Peter the Great, reforms were carried out in all areas of the country's public life. Many of these transformations go back to the 17th century - the socio-economic transformations of that time served as prerequisites for Peter's reforms, the task and content of which was the formation of the noble-bureaucratic apparatus.

  Increasing class contradictions led to the need to strengthen and strengthen the autocratic apparatus in the center and locally, centralize management, and build a coherent and flexible system of administrative apparatus, strictly controlled by the highest authorities. It was also necessary to create a combat-ready regular military force to pursue a more aggressive foreign policy and suppress the increasing frequency of popular movements. It was necessary to consolidate the dominant position of the nobility by legal acts and provide it with a central, leading place in state life. All this together led to the implementation of reforms in various spheres of state activity. For two and a half centuries, historians, philosophers and writers have been arguing about the significance of Petrine reforms, but regardless of the point of view of one researcher or another, everyone agrees on one thing - it was one of the most important stages in the history of Russia, thanks to which it can be divided into pre-Petrine and post-Petrine eras . In Russian history it is difficult to find a figure equal to Peter in terms of the scale of his interests and the ability to see the main thing in the problem being solved. The specific historical assessment of reforms depends on what is considered useful for Russia, what is harmful, what is the main thing, and what is secondary.

  The famous historian Sergei Mikhailovich Solovyov, who probably most deeply studied the personality and actions of Peter the Great, wrote:
  “The difference in views... stemmed from the enormity of the deed accomplished by Peter, the duration of the influence of this deed; The more significant a phenomenon is, the more contradictory views and opinions it gives rise to, and the longer they talk about it, the longer they feel its influence.”

  As already mentioned, the prerequisites for Peter’s reforms were the transformations of the late 17th century. In the second half of this century, the system of public administration changes, becoming more centralized. Attempts were also made to more clearly delimit the functions and spheres of activity of various orders, and the beginnings of a regular army appeared - regiments of a foreign system. Changes were taking place in culture: the theater and the first higher education institution appeared.

  But despite the fact that almost all of Peter the Great’s reforms were preceded by certain state initiatives of the 17th century, they were certainly revolutionary in nature. After the death of the emperor in 1725
  Russia was on the path to becoming a completely different country: from the Muscovite state, whose contacts with Europe were rather limited, it turned into the Russian Empire - one of the greatest powers in the world. Peter turned Russia into a truly European country (at least as he understood it) - it’s not for nothing that the expression “cut a window to Europe” became so frequently used. Milestones on this path were the conquest of access to the Baltic, the construction of a new capital - St. Petersburg, and active intervention in European politics.

  Peter’s activities created all the conditions for wider acquaintance
  Russia with the culture, way of life, technologies of European civilization, which was the beginning of a rather painful process of breaking the norms and ideas of Moscow Rus'.

  Another important feature of Peter's reforms was that they affected all layers of society, unlike previous attempts by Russian rulers. The construction of the fleet, the Northern War, the creation of a new capital - all this became the work of the entire country.

  Currently, Russia, like two centuries ago, is in the stage of reforms, so an analysis of Peter’s transformations is now especially necessary.

  Economic reforms

  During the Peter the Great era, the Russian economy, and above all industry, made a giant leap. At the same time, the development of the economy in the first quarter of the 18th century followed the paths outlined by the previous period. In the Moscow state of the 16th-17th centuries there were large industrial enterprises - the Cannon Yard, the Printing Yard, arms factories in Tula, a shipyard in Dedinovo, etc. Peter's policy regarding economic life was characterized by a high degree of use of command and protectionist methods.

  In agriculture, opportunities for improvement were drawn from the further development of fertile lands, the cultivation of industrial crops that provided raw materials for industry, the development of livestock farming, the advancement of agriculture to the east and south, as well as more intensive exploitation of peasants. The state's increased needs for raw materials for Russian industry led to the widespread spread of crops such as flax and hemp. A decree of 1715 encouraged the cultivation of flax and hemp, as well as tobacco and mulberry trees for silkworms. The decree of 1712 ordered the creation of horse breeding farms in the Kazan, Azov and
  In the Kyiv provinces, sheep breeding was also encouraged.

  During the Petrine era, the country sharply divided into two zones of feudal farming - the barren North, where the feudal lords transferred their peasants to cash rent, often releasing them to the city and other agricultural areas to earn money, and the fertile South, where noble landowners sought to expand the corvée system. .

  State duties for peasants also increased. With their efforts, cities were built (40 thousand peasants worked on the construction of St. Petersburg), manufactories, bridges, roads; annual recruitment drives were carried out, old levies were increased and new ones were introduced. The main goal of Peter's policy was always to obtain as much monetary and human resources as possible for state needs.

  Two censuses were carried out - in 1710 and 1718. According to the census of 1718, the unit of taxation became the male “soul,” regardless of age, from which a poll tax of 70 kopecks per year was levied (from state peasants - 1 ruble 10 kopecks per year).

  This streamlined tax policy and sharply increased state revenues
  (about 4 times; by the end of Peter’s reign they amounted to 12 million rubles per year).

  In industry there was a sharp reorientation from small peasant and handicraft farms to manufactories. Under Peter, at least 200 new manufactories were founded, and he encouraged their creation in every possible way.
  State policy was also aimed at protecting the young Russian industry from competition from Western European industry by introducing very high customs duties (Customs Charter of 1724)

  Russian manufactory, although it had capitalist features, but the use of predominantly peasant labor - sessional, assigned, quitrent, etc. - made it a feudal enterprise. Depending on whose property they were, manufactories were divided into state-owned, merchant and landowner. In 1721, industrialists were given the right to buy peasants to assign them to the enterprise
  (possession peasants).

  State-owned factories used the labor of state peasants, assigned peasants, recruits and free hired craftsmen. They mainly served heavy industry - metallurgy, shipyards, mines. The merchant manufactories, which produced mainly consumer goods, employed both sessional and quitrent peasants, as well as civilian labor. Landowner enterprises were fully supported by the serfs of the landowner-owner.

  Peter's protectionist policy led to the emergence of manufactories in a wide variety of industries, often appearing in Russia for the first time. The main ones were those that worked for the army and navy: metallurgical, weapons, shipbuilding, cloth, linen, leather, etc. Entrepreneurial activity was encouraged, preferential conditions were created for people who created new manufactories or leased state ones.

  Manufactories appeared in many industries - glass, gunpowder, papermaking, canvas, linen, silk weaving, cloth, leather, rope, hatting, paint, sawmills and many others.
  The emergence of the foundry industry in Karelia on the basis of Ural ores, the construction of the Vyshnevolotsky Canal, contributed to the development of metallurgy in new areas and brought Russia to one of the first places in the world in this industry.

  The state of the financial and credit system of Russia at the end of the XVII - beginning
  XVIII centuries.

  The 18th century became a rather complex and controversial period in Russian economic history. In the first half of the century, the serf system continued to dominate. Even quite major reform changes in the country's economy not only did not weaken, but, on the contrary, tightened serfdom. However, a significant increase in the productive forces, the formation of large industrial enterprises and other factors during the reforms of Peter I created the conditions for fundamentally new processes in the country's economy.

  At the end of the 17th and beginning of the 18th centuries. Russia's economy did not have the economic achievements of leading Western countries. Industrial production lagged. The few Russian manufactories overwhelmingly used serf labor. Feudal relations stifled the development of agriculture and trade. The country's economic development was significantly hampered by the lack of access to the sea. The existing trade route through the White Sea was quite long and frozen for a long time. Sweden established control in the Baltic. With such economic weakness and a certain military backwardness, Russia during this period entered the sphere of aggressive colonial interests of warlike Western countries.
  It was necessary to ensure the volume of revenues to the treasury necessary for waging war in conditions of extreme tension of all the forces of the state.

  The reign of Peter the Great ends the period of formation of absolutism in Russia. The emergence of a system of social relations, including financial ones, characteristic of the Russian version of the absolute monarchy, was dictated primarily by the logic of national interests associated with the struggle for the country’s security and access to world trade routes. Peter I combined old methods of increasing treasury revenues with attempts to organize the country's financial economy in a new way. The entire financial policy of Peter I was carried out under the sign of a constant and intense search for sources of funds. Therefore, Peter the Great’s appeal to the Senate “how to collect money as possible, since money is the artery of war” can become a kind of motto of his reign.

  After the economic boom at the end of the 17th century due to the development of internal trade, when the volume of treasury revenues doubled over 20 years and amounted to 3 million rubles, economic growth slowed down significantly.
  This was caused primarily by the outbreak of the Northern War, the conduct of which required great strain on the solvent forces of the population. Expenses began to exceed the revenue side of the budget, and if for the first three years the gap between expenses and state revenues was covered by the balances of previous years, by 1704 they had been exhausted, and the financial crisis began to grow. The budget deficit reached a huge amount for those times - 500 thousand rubles.

  The weak suitability of the existing financial system for solving such a problem was obvious. A new approach to the structure of the administrative apparatus was required.

  When collecting money from orders, a chaotic state of reporting was revealed - neither the Duma nor the Great Treasury could say what amounts were in motion according to orders. There were no firm and constant taxation rules; they could change depending on who collected taxes and how. People allowed to collect money too often left a significant part of it at their disposal. The unsuccessful fight against embezzlement was carried out in an atmosphere of chronic shortage of funds for the most urgent needs.
  There was no national breakdown of income and expenses. What happened with this procedure is evidenced by a letter from Senator Count
  A.V. Makarova: “Truly in all matters we wander like blind people and don’t know what to do, there is great confusion everywhere, and where to turn and in the future we don’t know what to do, they don’t bring money from anywhere, things just get worse.”

  The role of finance in the economic policy of Peter I.

  The reform actions of Peter I at the turn of the 17th-18th centuries were not an accident: the country had reached a turning point in its history.

  About three thousand legislative acts of the Peter the Great era truly stirred up the life of a huge country. They were aimed at reorganizing the state structure, the economy, culture, and way of life. Among them: the creation of a powerful regular army, a military and merchant fleet, numerous manufactories, a new monetary system, a form of land ownership, etc.

  Grandiose reforms and long wars with Turkey, Sweden, and Persia required enormous funds. So, for example, if at the beginning of the 18th century. Of the total state expenditures on the army and navy, 38.5% (964 thousand rubles) of all funds were allocated, then in 1710 they already amounted to 80% (3 million rubles) of the total amount of state expenditures. A gigantic mobilization of intellect and labor was required to find the necessary sources of income. In 1704, a staff of “profit-makers” was even formed. Their task was to find new sources of government revenue. There was also a broad search for the most effective reforms. An active supporter of Peter's reforms and mercantilism, Russian economist and publicist I.T. Pososhkov in “The Book of Poverty and Wealth” (1724) outlined the ways of development of Russian industry and trade, emphasized the role in the prosperity of Russia of the exploration of its richest mineral deposits, however, while maintaining the “legality” of serfdom.

  Among the most important economic reforms of the great transformer, the economic policy of the state itself occupied not the least place.
  With numerous decrees, Peter I mobilized efforts in various spheres of the economic life of the vast country. Thus, significant rewards were provided to stimulate geological exploration. The decree "Mountain Freedom" decreed the right of the discoverer to exploit the subsoil, guaranteeing the owner of the land only minor compensation. The state also transferred state-owned enterprises to the most skillful, honest and wealthy entrepreneurs. At their disposal were loans on fairly favorable terms, lands rich in mineral resources and forests, and forced labor. By decree of 1721 it was allowed to buy villages for factories and sell factories also with people. This category of workers is called session workers.

  Russia, rich and always famous for its domestic craftsmen, did not neglect foreign experience either. Widely known practice
  Peter I trained his own national personnel abroad. Foreign specialists were also invited to Russia to transfer experience and knowledge.

  Widespread support was provided to the domestic merchants.
  The protective customs tariff (1724) reflected the policy of mercantilism and protectionism, encouraged the export of domestic goods and limited the import of foreign goods that could compete with Russian products.

  The growth of commodity production, the development of industry and trade required the improvement of the monetary system. The lack of money hampered the execution of the most important enterprises: the collected recruits died and fled from lack of food, the soldiers, without receiving pay, began to rob, and the fleet could not go to sea due to lack of supplies. Peter's government saw the source of replenishment of the treasury in the increased exploitation of coin regalia.
  The expansion of trade turnover required additional means of circulation. The shortage of the coin was not covered even by its additional issue. Since 1681, a silver penny was minted in Russia with a again reduced (now 1/6 part) weight. In 1696-97. the issue of this coin doubled compared to 1681-82. Taking advantage of the situation, the government made the transition to a new monetary system, accompanied by a further reduction in the weight of the silver penny. Since 1698 it became equal to 1/100 of the weight of a thaler, i.e. was reduced by another 43%. The silver kopeck was practically the only coin serving economic turnover.

  “For the general benefit of the people and for the general profit of every trade,” the issue of copper money was started in 1700. The copper small change coin was supposed to be a complement to the silver coin. At face value, copper coins accounted for one tenth of the value of all cash and were intended mainly for local markets and marketplaces.

  The entire coinage under Peter I amounted to 43.4 million rubles, including copper coins - 44.4, silver coins - 38.4, gold coins - 0.7 million rubles. At the same time, the set of banknotes of different denominations and weights was streamlined and significantly expanded. So, half a half, half a kopeck (half a kopeck), denga, a kopeck, a penny (two kopecks), 5 kopecks were made from copper, a kopeck, an altyn (6 money or 3 kopecks), 5 kopecks, ten money, a hryvnia were made from silver. , kopeck, half-and-a-half, fifty-kopeck, ruble, 2 rubles, from gold - cross ruble, 2 rubles, chervonets, 2 chervonets. At the same time, to facilitate foreign trade transactions, the Russian ruble was equal in weight to the monetary unit of a number of European countries - the thaler.
  The minting of coins became a state monopoly.

  For 1700-1704 more than 13 million rubles were issued. silver coins, the main source of issue of which was the redistribution of old coins withdrawn from circulation. The proceeds from the minting of coins went to the order of the Great Treasury. These incomes, as well as those collected
  The town hall was usually used for military purposes.

  The profit from the coin redistribution at first gave a huge income: in 1701.
  – 717,744 rubles, in 1702. – 764,939 rubles, but already in 1703. income dropped to
  RUR 470,730 and, gradually decreasing, fell in 1708 to 41,441 rubles. However, the income was only nominal, since the amount of money in circulation did not correspond to the actual goods produced, which subsequently led to rising prices and inflation (the price of Russian coins fell by almost half).

  Ultimately, during the years of Peter’s reign, the coin regalia provided the treasury with about 1/10 of all revenue receipts. However, the possibilities of covering increasing expenses with income from minting inferior coins were quickly exhausted. In addition, these actions were accompanied by a fall in the ruble exchange rate and rising prices, which made the doubling of the treasury illusory.

  Since the issue of cash did not lead to a significant increase in revenues to the treasury, taxes remained the main source of covering the colossal expenses of the state. Under Peter I they reached unprecedented proportions. Their total number was increased to 30-40, and tax rates themselves increased sharply. These were direct, ordinary indirect and emergency taxes. To replenish the treasury, the Near Office was established, to which all orders and the Town Hall were required to submit monthly and annual reports on all salary and non-salary receipts and expenses; a list of state income and expenses began to be compiled every year.

  In 1704, a special staff of “profit-makers” was formed, whose responsibility was to come up with new taxes. This is how the land, planting, icebreaking, watering, cellar, pipe, from bridges and crossings, from branding of dresses, hats and boots, from kvass drinks, from brewing beer, from shop and “walking” sellers, the sale of candles and horse skins, etc. .d.

  Large injections into the state budget were provided by the replacement of household taxation with per capita taxation of the tax-paying population, which extremely strengthened serfdom. For this reason, in November 1718, it was stated “so that the truthful ones should bring how many male souls there are in each village.” Despite the strong reluctance of the landowners to share the income from the use of the labor of peasants attached to the land with the state, the preparatory work for the introduction of the poll tax was completed after 6 years.

  The nobility and clergy were exempt from taxes. Population census in 1719-1724. identified almost 5.5 million male revision souls - landowner peasants and townspeople (merchants, artisans). For the first time, street servants (slaves), freemen (walking people) also became taxpayers
  ), state peasants. State revenues, which almost quadrupled, were half due to the collection of the poll tax. The amount of the per capita tax was determined based on the needs of maintaining troops and census data and was set at 74 kopecks. Already under Catherine I it was lowered to 70 kopecks. In exchange for owner's taxes, state peasants had to pay 40 kopecks, and urban tax residents 1 ruble 20 kopecks.

  The transition to the poll tax, despite the arrears of 18%, in 1724 brought the treasury an additional 2 million rubles, and taking into account the carryover balance, treasury funds increased by a third compared to 1720-1723. and amounted to 10 million rubles.

  In practice, the “capital tax” revealed many negative features: a single tax rate had to be paid by peasants working in areas with different natural, climatic and economic conditions, able-bodied workers paid for the runaway and the sick, the elderly and children, as well as those who died between audits - “ audit souls."

  Indirect taxes provided up to 40% of the treasury's revenue. Along with indirect fees, direct taxes were also widely practiced: conscription, dragoon, ship, etc. One of the sources of budget replenishment was the monopoly right to mint coins even with a lower total weight of silver contained in it.

  In 1708, 8 provinces were established (later 11), the purpose of which was the territorial distribution of military and other expenses. Since 1715, the provinces were divided into shares of 5,536 households or so, “as is more convenient in terms of distance.” In accordance with the number of shares, state duties were allocated to the provinces. A special landrat was appointed as the manager of each share (except for city government affairs). Landrat workers who sent less than the stipulated salary had their salaries taken back.

  The Governing Senate, created in 1711, was entrusted with the tasks of supreme management and supervision of management, primarily financial.
  The same decree stipulated that “fiscals should be in charge of all matters.”
  Denunciation was a direct official responsibility of fiscal officials at all levels.

  By decree of December 12, 1715 9 boards were formed. The Chamber Board was in charge of monetary affairs, the accounting and consideration of all state receipts and expenses was entrusted to the Revision Board, the State Office dealt with expenses and provided an annual general extract, where “on one page all incomes are briefly indicated... and on the other page of the sheet all expenses
  ... also briefly announced to be.” However, the actions of individual boards and offices were not coordinated, which caused a lot of inconsistencies.

  Only the Senate had the right to impose taxes according to the Regulations, and
  The Chamber Collegium was supposed to put forward proposals and express its opinion on relevant projects.

  In 1719, reforms were made in local government. The provinces were now divided into provinces, replacing the Landrat shares. Governors were placed at the head of the provinces, to whom were subordinate the zemstvo chamberlains, responsible for collecting government revenues.

  The Customs Tariff, adopted in 1724, strictly protected Russian industry from foreign competitors, while simultaneously opening the way to the market for scarce goods. Thus, canvas was taxed at a rate of 75% of the price, Dutch linen and velvet - 50%, woolen fabrics and writing paper - 25%, and so on.

  During the forty years of Peter's reign, the amount of funds at the disposal of the state, taking into account the two-fold drop in the purchasing power of the ruble, increased at least 3 times. This was due to economic growth since 1678. to 1701, which made it possible to increase the receipts of customs and tavern taxes, and made it possible to exploit coin regalia. However, economic growth slowed down significantly with the outbreak of the Northern War, and the next two decades passed in a tense, economically ruinous and ultimately unsuccessful search for a way out of the financial crisis. Although in the last years of the Northern War the centralized financial management system was recreated and the local administrative apparatus was transformed, it was only at the very end of Peter’s reign with the introduction of the poll tax that Russia’s finances received a solid foundation.

  Conclusion.

  By the end of Peter's reign, Russia had a developed diversified industry with centers in St. Petersburg, Moscow, and the Urals.
  The largest enterprises were the Admiralty Shipyard, Arsenal, St. Petersburg gunpowder factories, metallurgical plants in the Urals, and Khamovny Dvor in Moscow. The all-Russian market was being strengthened and capital was being accumulated thanks to the mercantilist policy of the state. Russia supplied competitive goods to world markets: iron, linen, yuft, potash, furs, caviar.

  Thousands of Russians were trained in various specialties in Europe, and in turn, foreigners - weapons engineers, metallurgists, and locksmiths - were hired into Russian service. Thanks to this, Russia was enriched with the most advanced technologies in Europe.

  As a result of Peter’s policy in the economic field, a powerful industry was created in an extremely short period of time, capable of fully meeting military and government needs and not depending on imports in any way.

  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, what Peter was aiming for all the years of his reign was formalized - the creation of a state with a coherent system of governance, 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. As a result, Peter came to his ideal of government - a warship, where everything and everyone is subordinated to the will of one person - the captain, and managed to lead this ship out of the swamp into the stormy waters of the ocean, bypassing all the reefs and shoals.

  Russia became an autocratic, military-bureaucratic state, in which the central role belonged to the nobility. At the same time, Russia's backwardness was not completely overcome, and reforms were carried out mainly through brutal exploitation and coercion.

  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. Anisimov E.V. “Peter I: the birth of an empire” // Questions of history - 1989 - No. 7 p. 3-20
  2. Belousov R.A. “From the history of the monetary economy of Rus'” // Economist - 1997

  -№6 p.75-81
  3. Belousov R.A. “The formation of public finance in Russia” //Finance –1998 - No. 2 p. 58-60
  4. Knyazkov S. From the past of the Russian land. The time of Peter the Great. A book for reading on Russian history at school and at home. M.: Planet, 1991 –797 p.
  5. Kolitamov E.M. Finance of medieval Rus' - M: Nauka -1988 -246 p.
  6. Kolomiets A.G. "Financial policy of the government of Peter the Great"

  //Finance –1996 -№5 p.54-60
  7. Pushkareva V.M. “Genesis of the category “tax” in the history of financial science” // Finance - 1999 - No. 6 pp. 33-36
  8. Financial and credit dictionary vol. 1 / pod. Ed. Dyachenko - M: Goskomizdat,

  The young king set himself strategic goals: free access to the sea for the country, development of trade. They could only be realized as a result of victory in the war. And the army’s ability to successfully fight even at that time directly depended on the level of the state economy, and primarily on the development of such industries as metallurgy, textiles and cloth.

  Therefore, economic reforms at the very beginning of the 18th century were aimed at accelerating the construction of metallurgical plants. Almost all of them specialized in the manufacture of cannonballs, cannons and other weapons. New ones were added to the old factories and new ones were added. And their value lay not in the quality of the metal, but in the fact that they were located a short distance from the battles. The construction of factories in the Urals, especially the founding of a large silver mining plant, was of great importance for the Russian economy and for the development of coinage. At the same time, in the large cities of the country, the construction of shipyards was carried out, which employed a huge number of workers. Quite a few factories were built by private individuals, without attracting government money. The economic reforms of Peter the Great, associated with the creation of metallurgical production, allowed the country to make a significant leap in development in just twenty-five years. Due to the increase in the size of the tsarist army, the need for the development of textile manufactory, primarily engaged in the production of canvas for sails and cloth for soldiers’ clothing, increased.

  The next economic reform of Peter the Great concerned the creation of guild craft production. Despite the fact that this phenomenon had already become archaic by that time, it allowed the Russian state to control what each artisan produced. From now on, the master had to put his mark on the product. In addition, the creation of workshops contributed to the spread of apprenticeship practice.

  Economic ones naturally could not help but affect trade within the country. It continued to consist of several levels. The lowest of them was represented by district and rural auctions, to which peasants and small merchants gathered once every seven days. And the highest - wholesale purchases made by large merchants. The network of customs offices within the country continued to operate, the size of the annual amounts received by them testified to the active movement of products. The construction of canals that united the waterways of several rivers led to even greater development of trade.

  Peter the Great's reforms regarding foreign trade played an undoubted role in improving the state's economy. Almost the only Arkhangelsk port with a large turnover was replaced by the ports of other cities: St. Petersburg, Astrakhan, Riga, Narva, Vyborg, Revel.

  The economic reforms of Peter 1 had the best impact on the revenues of the state treasury. Significantly increased which only she had the right to trade. To fish glue, potash, caviar, tar and rhubarb were added hemp, tar, ox hair, salt, chalk, yuft, tobacco, and other goods. Merchants could buy from the treasury the right to sell the listed goods, then they became monopolists. Sometimes the tsar himself gave away such monopolies.

  Peter 1 tried to act in the interests of domestic producers and young entrepreneurs. For this purpose, he issued decrees that prohibited the import of any type of product into the country. For example, as soon as the Ryumins built a needle factory, Peter 1 issued a decree banning the import of metal needles into Russia. The pinnacle of the tsar’s activities was the formation in 1724 of the Customs Tariff, which prohibited the import into the country of even high-quality goods if domestic production satisfied domestic demand.