DOI: 10.12731/wsd-2014-9.3-7 UDC 94(470.342)
THE CREDIT PROJECTS OF THE VYATKA
PROVINCIAL SELF-GOVERNMENT 'ZEMSTVO' AT THE TURN OF THE NINETEENTH AND TWENTIETH CENTURIES
Chirkin S.A.
The Vyatka provincial self-government ('zemstvo'), due to the economical specification of the region, concentrated special efforts on the credit projects for the benefit of local peasantry. The most significant of its initiatives at the turn of the XIX and XX centuries were: establishing of the so-called grain-pawning operations; assigning loans for rural handicraftsmen; attempt to centralize all types of credit support by unveiling of the small credit office in 1912.
Purpose and methods. The article appeals to the economical influence of these credit projects on the Vyatka peasantry welfare. The main method, used in the article, is analysis in combination with problem-chronological method.
Results. Though the technique of the credit projects wasn't well-thought enough, they were solving some urgent economical and social problems of the Vyatka province. Hence, despite lack of funds, the all lasted till 1917.
Keywords: Vyatka province, zemstvo (self-government), economy, small credit, peasantry.
МЕРОПРИЯТИЯ ВЯТСКОГО ГУБЕРНСКОГО ЗЕМСТВА ПО РАЗВИТИЮ СИСТЕМЫ МЕЛКОГО КРЕДИТА НА РУБЕЖЕ XIX И XX ВЕКОВ
Чиркин С.А.
В силу экономической специфики Вятской губернии земство сосредоточило особое внимание на развитии здесь системы мелкого («народного») кредита. Наиболее значимыми из земских мероприятий в этой сфере на рубеже XIX и XX веков были: так называемые хлебозалоговые операции; кредитование промысловых крестьян; попытка объединить все виды кредитной помощи населению путём создания земской кассы мелкого кредита в 1912 году.
В статье рассматриваются конкретные формы земской кредитной работы и её влияние на благосостояние вятского крестьянства. Основной метод - аналитический, в сочетании с проблемно-хронологическим методом.
Было выяснено, что, несмотря на техническое несовершенство конкретных видов работы, в целом она была нацелена на решение ряда социально-экономических проблем региона, а потому, даже в условиях недостаточного финансирования, продолжалась вплоть до 1917 года.
Ключевые слова: Вятская губерния, земство (местное самоуправление), хозяйство, мелкий кредит, крестьянство.
The system of local self-governments in the Russian Empire, established in the course of the Great reforms of Czar Alexander II, was presented in 34 regions of the country [1, p. 34]. These elective bodies ('zemstvos'), one for each province and another for each district, consisted of a representative council ('zemskoye sobranye') and of an executive board ('zemskaya upra-va'), nominated by the former [2, p. 132].
The zemstvos were originally given large powers in relation to the incidence of taxation and such questions as education, medical relief, public welfare, food supply and road maintenance in their localities, but later some of these powers were, however, severely restricted by Czar Alexander III. The zemstvos were then subordinated to the governors, whose consent was necessary for each decision. The governors had drastic powers of discipline over the members [3, p. 521].
Despite all these restrictions, during the 50 years of the zemstvos, they succeeded in solving properly many problems of general education, public medical service, ways of transportation and agronomy [4, p. 56]. Zemstvo expenditure grew from 89,100,000 rubles in 1900 to 290,500,000 rubles in 1913. Of the latter sum, 90,100,000 rubles were spent on education, 71,400,000 on medical assistance, 22,200,000 on improvements in agriculture, and 8,000,000 on veterinary measures [5, p. 89].
Purpose
One of the high priority measures of Russian zemstvos was also to develop small credit operations among peasants and handicraftsmen of average means. Sums, assigned for that aims, were expected to be of vital importance as a mean of economical support for small enterprises in the Russian province [6]. The author of the article investigates the economical influence of these credit projects in the typical Central European region of the Russian Empire - the Vyatka province.
Materials and methods of research
The general method, used in the article, is analysis in combination with problem-chronological method. The research is based mainly on the pre-revo-lutionary statistical and analytical works as well as on local periodical editions.
Research results and their interpretation
Zemstvo of the Vyatka province, due to the economical specification of the region, concentrated special efforts on this sort of work by the end of the nineteenth century. Although this work wasn't faultless at all, some of the zemstvo's undertakings were able to prove their viability and lasted until 1917.
Among the most successful of these projects were: 1) so-called grain-pawning operations for peasants, 2) small loans for handicraftsmen and 3) general development of all types of cooperation in the region. Below it is given a survey of these main types of credit initiatives of the Vyatka zemstvo.
Since 1890-s zemstvo initiated so-called grain-pawning operations, adopting thereby some useful experience from the Central Russia provincial
assemblies. The main point of this project was to give peasant an ability to mortgage their grain for the period of seasonable reduction of prices on it (from August to May). In this connection zemstvo established a number of granaries or storehouses ('grain pawnshops'), borrowing cash for that directly from the State Bank.
However, the project wasn't compulsory for the district assemblies. Hence, only five of eleven districts of the province were engaged, essentially because of their fear of any additional responsibility. By 1905 zemstvo disposed 36 granaries, mainly in big villages with fairs. Annually those granaries accepted about 1500-2000 kg of grain from the local peasants.
Fortunately, almost all mortgaged grain was has been purchased back by the spring time. The rest was soled to commercial firms. As far as the lending rate was low, all the profits, derived be granaries, were directed for paying salary and equipment maintenance costs [7, p. 638].
Despite of grain storehouses' gradual increase in turnover, their operations, according to contemporary expert judgments, developed quite slowly. The main reasons, in addition to the above-mentioned lack of initiative, were: deficiency in storehouses, absence of grain quality control and even misappropriation of the assigned money [8].
Another direction of the Vyatka zemstvo credit program was assigning loans for rural handicraftsmen.
At the end of the nineteenth century it annually sent every district about 1000 rubles for short-term credits for handicraftsmen and about 1000012000 rubles for long-term credits for handicraftsmen. Undoubtedly, all those funds were not enough, even despite the fact that 'not every handicraftsman suspected existence of a credit'. As a result, some mediatory and loan operations soon were also undertaken by provincial handicraft storehouse, established by zemstvo on the model of the Moscow manufacture museum in 1882, and by so-called public banks (located in every chief town of the district) [9, p. 11].
Since every handicraftsmen' petition for credit was regarded by district assemblies separately, zemstvo authorities made several attempts to improve
the procedure. For example, there was a long-lasting discussion about establishing of special handicraft bank in Vyatka. Unfortunately, the project wasn't realized [10, p. 42].
The technique of handicraftsmen credit rating also wasn't profoundly thought over. Hence, during all the period of the Vyatka zemstvo existence it was a great problem to get loans back from borrowers. District assemblies regularly reported to Vyatka that loans were paid back mainly in juridical way. For instance, in 1912 the Nolinsk district zemstvo brought 133 suits against borrowers and Urzhum zemstvo brought 156 suits. So, for a long period of time crediting of handicraftsmen turned out to be unprofitable for zemstvo. By 1913 its losses from those type of operations were estimated at 500 000 rubles [11].
Eventually, the most well-thought initiative of the zemstvo was an attempt to centralize all types of credit support for peasants in 1910-s, thus improving the drawbacks of the above-listed initiatives. In this connection on 18 October 1912 zemstvo together with provincial authorities unveiled the so-called provincial small credit office in Vyatka. Before long its bureaus were opened in seven districts of the region - 'uyezds' of Slobodskoy, Malmyzh, Yaransk, Urzhum, Elabuga, Nolinsk and Orlov. At the same time district assemblies ceased assigning loans for craftsmen [12, p. 17].
Except banking activities, all those institutions were commended to develop co-operative movement in the region, establishing consumer, agricultural and producers' cooperatives. Besides, their plans were to carry out such measures as grain-pawning operations, intermediary and trading activities, joint use of agricultural instrument, statistical inquiries [13, p. 12].
Actually, the coverage of the office's responsibility was constantly spreading in the course of time, obtaining socially significant essence for the region. For instance, in 1914-1915 the board of the office prepared a number of social projects, such as interest-free loans for fire safety, special loans for horseless peasants, loans for land-reclamation and for joint purchase of instruments [14, p. 118]. All those considerations were introduced to the Vyatka zemstvo. At the same time the rural credit companionships were thought to be engaged in those projects either [15, p. 622].
According to the head of the office A.A. Valaev, credit cooperation should have become a reliable support for zemstvo in developing accessible credit. Hence, special educational campaign was held by the office's stuff among district zemstvo worker
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