The end of the major Volga-Siberian trading company: nationalization of enterprises of trading house «I.G. Stakheev's successors» 1917-1918

In the article the final stage of history of activity of Stakheevs firm, prominent representatives of the national peripheral bourgeoisie of Russia, is investigated. The main research problems consist of the next: 1) to give a general characteristic of business bases and sources of enrichment of the firm; 2) to analyze results of Trading house "I.G. Stakheev's successors" activity by the beginning of revolutionary events of 1917; 3) on the basis of archival sources to recreate process of nationalization of one of the largest campaigns which was successfully engaged in versatile business. Materials of the central state archives, in the overwhelming part for the first time introduced for scientific use have formed documentary base of the article. In the work documents of funds of the Russian state archive of economy -the Highest Councils of the national economy of RSFSR and the USSR are widely used (F. 3429). The methodological basis of the research is constructed on the principle of an integrated approach in sources study and their critical analysis. The main methods used by the author are historical and system, historical and comparative and also a method of a historical review. As a result of a research the author has come to the following conclusions. Stakheevs represented an example of creation of the versatile business including all production cycle from cultivation of wheat till its processing on own mills and export by own vessels for sale in the capitals and abroad. Basis of activity of trading house «I.G. Stakheev's successors» and the main source of its enrichment was trade of grain which the firm realized in many cities, including St. Petersburg, Rybinsk, Nizhny Novgorod, Chelyabinsk, Kostanay, Birsk, Krasno-vodsk and also the cities of Finland. The trading house had considerable land riches in the Ufa, Vyatka and Orenburg provinces. The firm owning huge personal and real estate and possessing the strong centralized administrative personnel, played an uncommon role in the Region of Volga. The list of the enterprises of trading house found in the fund of the Supreme Soviet of the National Economy confirms broad scope of operations of the firm and the impressive sizes of turnover of its capital. Owning on Volga steamships, tows and barges, the trading house was engaged in transportation of grain, and used available transport vehicles for transportation of oil freights from Astrakhan to Upper Volga. On the basis of documentary materials from the fund of the Supreme Soviet of the National Economy which have not been published earlier and have not been used by researchers the author restores the picture of nationalization the trading house of the Yelabuga millionaire merchants Stakheevs who have created one of the most powerful commerce and industry associations of the country.

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