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Collected Works of V. I. Lenin - Vol. 3 - From Marx to Mao

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552<br />

C H A P T E R VIII<br />

THE FORMATION OF THE HOME MARKET<br />

We now have <strong>to</strong> sum up the data examined in the<br />

preceding chapters and <strong>to</strong> try <strong>to</strong> give an idea <strong>of</strong> the interdependence<br />

<strong>of</strong> the various spheres <strong>of</strong> the national economy in<br />

their capitalist development.<br />

I. THE GROWTH OF COMMODITY CIRCULATION<br />

It is well known that commodity circulation precedes<br />

commodity production and constitutes one <strong>of</strong> the conditions<br />

(but not the sole condition) <strong>of</strong> the rise <strong>of</strong> the latter.<br />

In the present work we have confined ourselves <strong>to</strong> an examination<br />

<strong>of</strong> data on commodity and capitalist production,<br />

and for that reason do not intend <strong>to</strong> deal in detail with the<br />

important problem <strong>of</strong> the growth <strong>of</strong> commodity circulation<br />

in post-Reform Russia. In order <strong>to</strong> give a general idea <strong>of</strong><br />

how rapidly the home market has grown, the following brief<br />

data will suffice.<br />

The length <strong>of</strong> the Russian railway system increased from<br />

3,819 kilometres in 1865 <strong>to</strong> 29,063 km. in 1890,* i.e., more<br />

than 7-fold. Similar progress was made by Britain in a<br />

longer period (1845—4,082 km.; 1875—26,819 km., a<br />

6-fold increase), by Germany in a shorter period (1845—<br />

2,143 km.; 1875—27,981 km., a 12-fold increase). The<br />

length <strong>of</strong> new railway opened per year differed considerably<br />

in different periods; for example, in the 5 years 1868-1872<br />

* Uebersichten der Weltwirtschaft (Surveys <strong>of</strong> World Economy.—<br />

Ed.), loc. cit. In 1904 the length was 54,878 kilometres in European<br />

Russia (including the Kingdom <strong>of</strong> Poland, the Caucasus and Finland)<br />

and 8,351 in Asiatic Russia. (Note <strong>to</strong> 2nd edition.)

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