What were the peculiarities of trade in the 17th century? Foreign and domestic trade in Russia

The peculiarities of trade in the 17th century are becoming key factors in the development of new types of economic relations. The old system of handicrafts is gradually becoming obsolete, small-scale production is replacing it. What were the peculiarities of trade in the 17th century, how were new relations formed in Russia and abroad - we will consider below.

New phenomena in handicraft production

About what the peculiarities of trade in the 17th century were, one can roughly judge by the principles of the development of production relations. Before the development of handicrafts took place within the framework of subsistence farming - the artisan could not provide a large volume of his own products - various things were made to order. The expansion of trade ties made it possible to increase production - now the artisan could do the goods "for future use", counting on the future buyer. There is a specialization of crafts - some regions of Russian lands become the main producers of these or other goods. For example, Belozerye was famous for its spoons, Nizhny Novgorod craftsmen made strong castles, and Vologda craftsmen wove amazing laces. So there are regional centers of various crafts.

The first manufactories

If the light industry was based on individual labor, then for the development of metallurgy, weapons and mining production, state assistance was required. Maybe that's why the cities closest to Moscow - Tula, Kashira, Serpukhov - become the very first centers of domestic metallurgy. Metalworking, as the most labor-intensive work, required considerable labor resources - so gradually began to use hired labor. The first manufactory, which used the work of hired workers, was the Cannon Court, which arose in the 15th century. In the 17th century, about thirty different manufactories were created. For the first time, dynasties of industrialists are being formed - the Sveteshnikovs, Demidovs, Stroganovs and others.

Development of domestic trade

What were the peculiarities of trade in Russia in the 17th century? The country gradually overcame isolation and gained access to European markets. A new all-Russian market with its own trade development centers began to be formed. A key role in this was played by major fairs - Arkhangelsk, Irbitskaya, Nizhny Novgorod. There were the first buyers - wholesalers, who bought goods in large batches and sold it in smaller wholesale. Pockfooterism spread - buying ribbons, scarves, scallops, popular prints and simple ornaments at the fair, peddlers went to towns and villages selling their goods to local residents. The emergence of manufactories, wholesale trade and the development of a network of fairs - these are the main theses, giving an idea of what were the peculiarities of trade in the 17th century on the domestic market of Russia.

Customs decree

At the beginning of the century, numerous customs duties complicated the internal trade, which arose even in times of fragmentation. Numerous requisitions seriously impeded the promotion of goods on the market, making trade unprofitable and costly. But in 1653, the Customs Decree was issued, which eliminated the inter-party fees, introduced uniform customs collection rules. Thus, the tsarist authorities sought to revive the trade within the country.

International trade

What were the peculiarities of foreign trade in the 17th century? Russian merchants not only actively developed domestic trade, but already had access to the markets of northern European countries. Unfortunately, the access to the ice-free Baltic Sea was not available at that time. The merchants had to use several summer navigation months to get to the markets of Sweden, England, Denmark from the northern ports. The import and export components of foreign trade during this period practically did not change, in comparison with the previous periods, therefore it is difficult to say in the context of foreign trade relations what the peculiarities of trade in the 17th century were. As always, the main export items were cereals, furs, flax, hemp, fat, and leather. Russia imported luxury goods, cloth, industrial equipment, tea, coffee, spices.

Fighting dumping

But thanks to trade unions, the penetration of foreign traders into the Russian market has become commonplace. Often they interrupted the prices of Russian merchants. Numerous complaints of the Russian merchants were heard, and in 1667 the New Commercial Charter was adopted , thanks to which foreign merchants no longer had the same rights and freedoms in the Russian domestic market. Foreigners could only do wholesale and large wholesale - retail trade was forbidden for them. Special duties on imported goods were introduced, thanks to which the cost of domestic and imported goods practically equaled. In addition, new duties have successfully replenished the tsarist treasury.

Summarizing, we can say what were the features of trade in the 17th century. In short, they amounted to the emergence of new trade relations, the simplification of the rules of trade, the development of the domestic market, the first attempts to protect their producers and representatives of trading estates from foreign interference. And the equalization of the cost of Russian and foreign goods through the introduction of special duties stimulated the development of domestic industry.