Historical Studies (Chinese Edition)

No.3, 2017

 

The Shipping of Bulk Commodities on the Volga and the Economic Development of Modern Russia (1850-1913)

(Abstract)

 

Zhang Guangxiang

 

Research on the Volga as a transport conduit must clarify the relationship between water transport and the overall development of the national economy as well as the synthesizing effect of water transport in Russia’s transformation from a traditional to a modern society. Prior to the dominance of rail transport, the advantage of the Volga for shipping bulk commodities was reflected in terms of the flow of goods on the main stem river and its tributaries. The shipping of grain, timber and other commodities maximized the commodity rate of raw materials, and the river’s market scale effect can be seen from the water transport specialization index. The market formed by commodity circulation and the associated specialization encouraged the development of related industries. These internal factors, together with shipbuilding improvements, constituted the foundation for the emergence of cities along the waterway, with Astrakhan growing from a small fishing village to a regional urban center. The transport of bulk commodities along the Volga, the development of specialized markets and industry growth from the late 19th to the early 20th century constitute new fields for research on the pre-Soviet social and economic history of Russia.