“In the Fight against Foreign Domination in the Russian Market”: Trade Entrepreneurship under the Provisional Priamur Government
The paper deals with the position of Russian trade entrepreneurship forced to exist in competition with foreigners during the rule of the Provisional Priamur Government - one of the last white governments in the Russian Far East. Due to the lack of local entrepreneurs’ own capital, the government depended on the Japanese, who practically brought it to power and used Primorye’s economic resources uncontrollably, and on foreign firms, which had necessary financial resources. Declaring the priority of market mechanisms and freedom of trade and entrepreneurship, the government did not apply state regulation of the economy. However, after the increase of taxes and fees as well as under the conditions of limited resources and increasing expenditures for the army, it faced growing discontent of trade and industrial organizations. Dependence on foreign, primarily Japanese, capital forced the Provisional Priamur Government to give preference to foreign entrepreneurs. The local businesses expressed dissatisfaction with the lack of support of domestic entrepreneurship by the government. Intended to protect the interests of local capital, the Primorsky District Chamber of Commerce and Industry often supported the power. An initiative to establish a network of commercial and industrial organizations of Russian entrepreneurs with the aim of restoring Russian trade and combating foreign domination in the local market, as well as appeal for tax exemptions, failed to find acceptance among the authorities.