Novotorgovy Charter of Alexei Mikhailovich

The new trade regulations are the law on the rules of foreign and domestic trade. The most important is the document adopted in the 17th century on the initiative of Alexei Mikhailovich. Significant is the fact that this document laid the foundation for the development of the customs system in our country.

Novotorgovy Charter: the history of adoption

What were the reasons that prompted the tsar to tighten the rules of trade, both inside the country and outside it? Naturally, this is an increase in the volume of trade itself. With the development of this industry, special legislation was required that would establish certain requirements for merchants for the transportation of goods, payment of state taxes, as well as customs duties. The reason for the adoption of such a document was petition, filed by important merchants to the king himself. After that, a special commission was developed.

The trade charter of 1653 was adopted in the middle of autumn. It was of great importance both for Russia and for other countries with which we had close trade ties. What was the effect of this charter? Firstly, numerous small trading fees were abolished, which were a direct remnant of the period of feudal disunity. Secondly, the Commercial Charter established a ruble tax - a fixed tax, the amount of which was determined by the type of goods sold. Thirdly, he assumed the elimination of travel duties - this is a special kind of tax paid by merchants when importing goods into the inner cities of the state. Fourthly, the Novotorgovy statute left the effect of fees in the living-room yards, as well as in the case of remelting through large rivers. Fifthly, this document made it clear that Tsar Alexei Mikhailovich intends to encourage the activities of predominantly domestic producers, as evidenced by the increase in duties for foreign merchants.

Thus, foreign traders paid up to eight percent of the tax both for trade inside the country and for the import / export of goods. In addition to the rules of trade, the Novotorgovy Charter also fixed penalties for violations. So, in the case of concealing goods when inspecting customs, merchants could be punished as a whip, and send to the yard to work together with serfs.

It should be noted that the text of the document was supplemented several times. For example, in 1654 additions were made in the form of Charter Charter, which prohibited taking duties in the domains of feudal lords, both spiritual and secular. Soon a new Trade Charter was adopted, the occasion for the publication of which was again the petition of the highest merchant merchants.

The new trade regulations became an important part of the development of trade in Russia. It is in the seventeenth century that the formation of a single all-Russian market of the country begins, and an important step for this is the adoption of special legislation. It is worth noting that the day of the adoption of the first Commercial Charter has now become the Day of a customs officer in Russia. This shows that the authorities remember all the merits of their predecessors, that their transformation has become a significant event in the development and formation of our country.