Russian store, 10s of the last century.
So, pick up a calculator... an abacus, that is, and mentally move to 1913, - highest point heyday Tsarist Russia. In Europe at that time we were considered the most promising superpower of the future! This would have been the case if a year later Russia had not gotten involved in the First world war with all the ensuing long-term dirty tricks, including the damned Revolution.
When comparing your standard of living with that of your ancestor, do not forget that many things were not available even to kings. For example, revolutionary changes in medicine occurred only in the 1940s. Otherwise, in 1913 everything was not so bad, even nice.
Eat a decent amount two-room apartment in Moscow or St. Petersburg it would cost you the current 18 thousand rubles. It's a little more salary a worker or small employee, but it was quite within the capabilities of a doctor, a teacher, a successful merchant (read: the owner of a commercial kiosk in a crowded place). Meat cost almost the same as it does now. It’s more interesting with vodka: it was sold in government stores for 40 kopecks at that time for 0.6 liters or 60 kopecks for a double-purified variety. The volume of alcohol was measured in buckets, and the standard 0.6 liters is one twentieth of a bucket. The average Muscovite or St. Petersburg resident could afford one hundred bottles a month if he had the desire (and his wife did not object). In fact, the standard of living then was very close to the current one, minus the Internet, smartphones and last-minute trips to Thailand.
Besides mink coats and greyhounds, what other luxury items could you cherish in your dreams, or even in practice? Let's take what everyone knows - Faberge products. There was a Faberge factory in St. Petersburg that produced everything from ashtrays to inkwells. But unique jewelry masterpieces, the same eggs, were also created - the craftsmen managed to lay only 71 pieces from 1885 to the October Revolution.
Faberge products cost about 2-8 thousand rubles of that time, and the most expensive egg - the imperial one - cost almost 30 thousand (to convert it into 2016 banknotes, multiply this by a thousand and a half). Even a general would have to save for about six months for a budget category souvenir from Faberge. But let it be a consolation to you that a modern general will not save money on Faberge in his lifetime, even if he goes up to his shoulder straps in loans.
IN modern world There are affordable, but at the same time wonderful things made in the classic Fabergé style - from paperweights in souvenir shops near GUM to vodka, as in the picture below: everything on the limited holiday bottle of Russian Standard has been restored with love and reverence signature Faberge design touches. By the way, about alcohol: the technologies for the production of vodka and other alcoholic drinks have progressed no worse than mobile phones over a hundred years. It’s not a fact that you could easily drink the same thing that your great-grandfather consumed.
Now about something else - about the proportionality of prices. What was more expensive then - food or consumer goods? This is one of the most frequently asked questions by time travelers. Judge for yourself:
A ceremonial military uniform cost the same as a working horse, and exactly one hundred times more than a kilogram of veal tenderloin. Relatively speaking, if veal now costs 500 rubles, then a uniform or a horse would cost you 50 thousand. As for the antediluvian car, it pulled thirty horses. That is, by today's standards - one and a half million. That is, purchasing manufactured goods was much more wasteful than eating tasty and healthy food. On the other hand, the contrast is not as striking as it seemed at first. You think so and think - the world is not changing at all as quickly as we usually think.
Human culture, like man himself, has changed throughout time. Previously, battles were a clash of thousands of angry people armed with spears and swords, trying to stab each other for a piece of land. Now this method of sorting out relations has been preserved only in certain areas of Chertanovo. Basically the same modern warfare are conducted on computer screens, and if there are head-to-head clashes, then spears do not perform well in them - with a machine gun they are somehow more reliable.
The industrial revolution changed everything, there are fewer and fewer “blank spots” of the unknown in science, and accordingly, people’s attitudes towards many things have changed. And even 100 years ago (and in historical terms this is one moment) our ancestors showed such ingenuity that now it seems at least strange to us, and sometimes even shocking.
1. Ugliness is illegal
This sounds like a terrible post-apocalyptic fantasy, but, unfortunately, it is a historical reality. 100 years ago in many major cities In the US it was illegal to be ugly.
It all started in Chicago in 1881, when the not very smart, but apparently considered himself handsome Alderman James Pievey decided that there were already enough terrible things in life. In connection with this, he declared people who had external defects and signs visible diseases are illegal. Including cripples. By banning such people from the streets of the city, Alderman hoped to make Chicago a more comfortable place to live. If a person was considered ugly (it’s scary to imagine what kind of commission decided this), then he had to pay a fine of up to $50, which was a decent amount for that time. Otherwise, those who refused to pay were sent to the so-called “poor” houses, where the insane were often kept.
Only after the First World War, when thousands of crippled people returned to their homeland, did attitudes towards people with disabilities begin to change. But in the Constitutions of some states this law still continued to exist. In Chicago itself, this regulation was removed from legislation only in 1974. Society by that time was sufficiently developed to create nuclear bomb, go to the moon, take off " Godfather“But, unfortunately, I wasn’t smart enough to recognize this law as idiotic. Now this resolution is no more than historical fact, but one of those that draws a crimson blush of shame on the cheeks.
3. Versatile clothing
What is now called unisex style. This may seem strange to you, but once upon a time parents did not particularly bother about clothes for their children. Nowadays, even for babies they use clothes that identify the child's gender: pink colors for girls, blue for boys. A hundred years ago, apparently, this was not so important. Boys up to the age of eight wore dresses. This rather strange fashion trend mainly for reasons of practicality. In a dress it is easier for a child to move, play, and exercise. Moreover for small child coping with the intricacies of putting on pants and all sorts of fasteners was problematic.
4. Photos of the dead
Now, when there are no built-in cameras except in handkerchiefs, it seems funny that a century ago being photographed was considered a luxury, allowed only to the privileged strata of society. If one of the family members died, then disgruntled relatives would sometimes visit the photographers before going to the funeral home. “Obviously to photograph the deceased,” you might think. And you'll be right. But at the same time, the deceased’s eyelids were often raised, a blush was added, and sometimes even some parts of the body were propped up so that the pose was more lively in every sense of the word. This was done to capture the memory of a relative, whom, unfortunately, his family members did not have time to photograph during his lifetime. One can only guess to what degree of madness the people of that era could descend that they were voluntarily ready to look at such photographs.
5. Animal fighting
In some countries, fighting involving animals is still allowed. More precisely, they are not limited by law in any way. Whereas in most developed countries this entertainment is considered illegal. Their popularity is due to people's natural desire for bloodshed, and 100 years ago it could hardly have been less. Therefore, at that time, gladiator fights between dogs or roosters were very popular. The latter, by the way, for greater cruelty of the spectacle, tied blades to the paws. In Russia, such zoological competitions are now hidden from public attention, but they have their success in the world of underground entertainment.
6. Alarm Clock Man
How do you wake up in the morning? You probably set an alarm on your smartphone. Or use a classic ticking clock with a hammer bell if you are a fan of retro style. What about the very old way?
In the past, people used methods of awakening that were much more unconventional by today's standards. Some drank a lot of fluids before bed and, thanks to their good metabolism, often woke up to relieve themselves. So they got up early. But there was a method that was much less stressful for the body. In Great Britain and Ireland there used to be a profession called "knocker upper". People belonging to it walked past residential buildings in the morning with a long pole in their hands and knocked on the windows with it. As you understand, this created an awakening effect for the residents of these houses. The main thing is that in response to such a knock, some heavy object does not fly out of the window as a reminder to “wake up in 10 minutes.”
It had a living room, kitchen, bedroom, dining room. As a mechanic in Donbass before the revolution, I earned 40-45 rubles a month. Black bread cost 2 kopecks per pound (410 g), and white bread cost 5 kopecks. Lard went for 22 kopecks per pound, eggs - a penny apiece. Good boots cost 6, at most 7 rubles. And after the revolution, wages dropped, and even greatly, while prices rose greatly... Years have passed since the revolution, and it pains me to think that I, a worker, lived much better under capitalism than workers live under Soviet power. Now we have overthrown the monarchy, the bourgeoisie, we have won our freedom, and people live worse than before...”
In 1913, the system seemed unshakable. Lenin sadly admitted: we will not see a revolution in our lifetime... Optimists predicted that in 20 years peaceful life the country will become the richest and most powerful in the world. Unfortunately, history has not given Russia a peaceful life.
Let's see if the democratic Russian Federation surpass Tsarist Russia or there is still something left to work on (according to the publication “Russia. 1913. Statistical and Documentary Directory”. St. Petersburg: RAS, Institute Russian history, 1995).
100 years ago, about 94 million people lived within the current borders of the Russian Federation (Russian Federation) (the entire empire had about 174 million inhabitants, ranking third after British Empire and China). Nowadays, the Russian Federation, having increased to 143.2 million people, already ranks 9th in the world in terms of population. Here we have even grown. But in the territory they lost: 3,336,935 sq. km.
In 1913 rural population was 85%, urban - 15%. Now it’s the other way around - 25% to 75%. By 1913, production (or GDP) growth was 10-15% per year. Today in the Russian Federation, GDP growth in 2013 is projected to be 3%. Interesting detail: in 1913 to the Ministry public education the autocracy allocated 14.6% of the budget, and in 2013 the Ministry of Education received three times less from the State Duma and the government. And about something sore: 100 years ago there were 7 liters of alcohol per year per Russian capita, and now it’s 17.
In 1913, the gross grain harvest in Russia was 92.5 million tons. Russian Empire produced half the world's rye harvest, and ranked 2nd in the world in terms of wheat yield. And last year we collected only 71 million tons. If a hundred years ago Russia was in 1st place among grain exporters, now it is only in fourth place, behind the USA, Canada and Australia. In 1913, almost a thousand kilometers were built in Russia railways. Today there is no such indicator in our statistics.
True, today agricultural products are no longer the main export goods. If in 1913 57.4% of exports came from agriculture, 37 - to the raw materials sector, today the share of raw materials exports has increased to 70%.
The exchange rate of the Nikolaev ruble was tied to the cost of a troy ounce of gold. If we compare it with today’s price of gold, it turns out that one royal ruble is equal to approximately 1,300 of ours. The same Khrushchev, as a beginning mechanic, would have received 52 thousand rubles with our money. Of course, salaries in 1913, as today, were different - both by profession and by region. The average annual salary of a worker in Tsarist Russia in 1913 was 320 rubles. Or 34,700 rubles a month in modern money.
The loaders were paid 20 (26 thousand today) rubles per month. Janitors and policemen received the same amount. The salary of a paramedic was 50 (65 thousand) rubles, officers - 100 (130 thousand), the same as that of teachers of the Law of God. Deputies of the first State Duma received 350 rubles (almost half a million in ours).
In the capital Petersburg, Putilov workers were paid a minimum of 100 rubles (130 thousand) a month, tram car repairmen - 90 rubles (117 thousand), worker assistants - 75 (97,500). They also provided benefits for the education and maintenance of children, free departmental medical care (including medicines), full payment for the ballot (up to 45 days a year), paid two-week leave, compensation for renting housing, etc.
Housing was a bit tight. The people mostly huddled in rented apartments. Renting an apartment of 50 meters in the capital cost 32 and a half thousand per month in today's rubles. About the same as now. Canvas trousers cost a ruble in the store (1300), and shirts cost the same. An expensive demi-season coat could be ordered for tailoring for 19.50 (25 thousand with kopecks), and a chic suit for 16.75 (almost 22 thousand). Again, almost current prices.
A pound of meat cost 19 kopecks. This means that a kilogram is 46.39 kopecks. Or, in our opinion, 600 rubles. Buckwheat cost 10 kopecks per pound (130 rubles per 400 g), sugar - 12 kopecks per pound (more than 300 rubles per kilo), milk - 8 kopecks per bottle (over 100 rubles).
Most often, the head of the family worked and provided for a family of 7-8 people. At the same time, on average, less than half of earnings were spent on feeding the family (up to 49%). In Europe and the USA at that time they spent 20-30% more on food! Yes, Russian workers and peasants consumed much less meat, but this was due to the Orthodox tradition. Large quantities fast days of the year.
Comparing the average salaries of Russian workers before 1917 with the average salaries of European and American workers, academician S.G. Strumilin back in 1960 showed that “the earnings of Russian workers were among the highest in the world, ranking second after the earnings of American workers.<….>The real level of wages in Russian industry was quite high and exceeded the level of wages in England, Germany, and France.”
The conclusion from all this - whether we are living better or worse compared to 1913 - you can draw for yourself. It’s only a pity that we have ceased to understand what the connection of times is between historical tradition and modernity. But we had and still have something to be proud of!
This year marks the 400th anniversary of the Romanov dynasty, during whose 300 years of rule Russia reached the pinnacle of its historical power. The only time comparable to 1913 is the post-war Soviet Union. However, the difference between the two is quite obvious: various forms state structure.
I am convinced, no matter what views on history you hold, it will be interesting for everyone to find out what it cost in terms of our money a hundred years ago.
Writes about this editor-in-chief magazine "Russian House" Alexander Nikolaevich Krutov in the last, March, issue:
“The authorities decided not to widely celebrate the celebrations dedicated to the 400th anniversary of the Romanov dynasty. It’s a pity: after all, it was during the reign of the Romanovs that Russia became one of the great world powers. There was a time when not a single cannon in Europe could fire without her permission. 300th anniversary of the dynasty imperial Russia celebrated for a whole year, and not by order from above, but by the expression of the people's will.
Indeed, in 1913 the country was at the peak of its greatness. Last pre-war year. There are no riots, the harvest is wonderful, the gold coin is golden. Even the first secretary of the CPSU Central Committee N.S. Khrushchev recalled with nostalgia (in 1959) his young years: “I got married in 1914, twenty years old. Since I had good profession- locksmith, - I was able to rent an apartment immediately. It had a living room, kitchen, bedroom, dining room. As a mechanic in Donbass before the revolution, I earned 40-45 rubles a month. Black bread cost 2 kopecks per pound (410 g), and white bread cost 5 kopecks. Lard went for 22 kopecks per pound, eggs - a penny apiece. Good boots cost 6, at most 7 rubles. And after the revolution, wages dropped, and even greatly, while prices rose greatly... Years have passed since the revolution, and it pains me to think that I, a worker, lived under capitalism much better than workers lived under Soviet rule. Now we have overthrown the monarchy, the bourgeoisie, we have won our freedom, and people live worse than before...”
In 1913, the system seemed unshakable. The great Lenin sadly admitted: we will not see a revolution in our lifetime... Optimists predicted that after 20 years of peaceful life the country would become the richest and most powerful in the world. Unfortunately, history did not give Russia a peaceful life, and therefore 1913 remained the peak that they unsuccessfully tried to overcome in the era of the USSR.
100 years have passed. It's 2013. Let's see whether the democratic Russian Federation managed to surpass Tsarist Russia or whether there is still work left to do (according to the publication “Russia. 1913. Statistical and Documentary Directory.” St. Petersburg: RAS, Institute of Russian History, 1995).
100 years ago, about 94 million people lived within the current borders of the Russian Federation (Russian Federation) (the entire empire had about 174 million inhabitants, ranking third after the British Empire and China). Nowadays, the Russian Federation, having increased to 143.2 million people, already ranks 9th in the world in terms of population. Here we have even grown. But in the territory they lost: 3,336,935 sq. km.
In 1913, the rural population was 85%, urban - 15%. Now it’s the other way around - 25% to 75%. By 1913, production (or GDP) growth was 10-15% per year. Today in the Russian Federation, GDP growth in 2013 is projected to be 3%. An interesting detail: in 1913, the autocracy allocated 14.6% of the budget to the Ministry of Public Education, and in 2013, the Ministry of Education received three times less from the State Duma and the government. And about something sore: 100 years ago there were 7 liters of alcohol per year per Russian capita, and now it’s 17.
In 1913, the gross grain harvest in Russia was 92.5 million tons. The Russian Empire produced half of the world's rye harvest and ranked 2nd in the world in terms of wheat yield. And last year we collected only 71 million tons. If a hundred years ago Russia was in 1st place among grain exporters, now it is only in fourth place, behind the USA, Canada and Australia. In 1913, almost a thousand kilometers of railways were built in Russia. Today there is no such indicator in our statistics.
True, today agricultural products are no longer the main export goods. If in 1913 57.4% of exports came from agriculture, 37 from the raw materials sector, today the share of raw materials exports has grown to 70%.
The exchange rate of the Nikolaev ruble was tied to the cost of a troy ounce of gold. If we compare it with today’s price of gold, it turns out that one royal ruble is equal to approximately 1,300 of ours. The same Khrushchev, as a beginning mechanic, would have received 52 thousand rubles with our money. Of course, salaries in 1913, as today, were different - both by profession and by region. The average annual salary of a worker in Tsarist Russia in 1913 was 320 rubles. Or 34,700 rubles a month in modern money.
The loaders were paid 20 (26 thousand today) rubles per month. Janitors and policemen received the same amount. The salary of a paramedic was 50 (65 thousand) rubles, officers - 100 (130 thousand), the same as that of teachers of the Law of God. Deputies of the first State Duma received 350 rubles (almost half a million in ours).
In the capital Petersburg, Putilov workers were paid a minimum of 100 rubles (130 thousand) a month, tram car repairmen - 90 rubles (117 thousand), worker assistants - 75 (97,500). They also provided benefits for the education and maintenance of children, free departmental medical care (including medicines), full payment for the ballot (up to 45 days a year), paid two-week leave, compensation for renting housing, etc.
Housing was a bit tight. The people mostly huddled in rented apartments. Renting an apartment of 50 meters in the capital cost 32 and a half thousand per month in today's rubles. About the same as now. Canvas trousers cost a ruble in the store (1300), and shirts cost the same. An expensive demi-season coat could be ordered for tailoring for 19.50 (25 thousand with kopecks), and a chic suit for 16.75 (almost 22 thousand). Again, almost current prices.
A pound of meat cost 19 kopecks. This means that a kilogram is 46.39 kopecks. Or, in our opinion, 600 rubles. Buckwheat cost 10 kopecks per pound (130 rubles per 400 g), sugar - 12 kopecks per pound (more than 300 rubles per kilo), milk - 8 kopecks per bottle (over 100 rubles).
Most often, the head of the family worked and provided for a family of 7-8 people. At the same time, on average, less than half of earnings were spent on feeding the family (up to 49%). In Europe and the USA at that time they spent 20-30% more on food! Yes, Russian workers and peasants consumed much less meat, but this was due to the Orthodox tradition. A large number of fasting days a year.
Comparing the average salaries of Russian workers before 1917 with the average salaries of European and American workers, academician S.G. Strumilin back in 1960 showed that “the earnings of Russian workers were among the highest in the world, ranking second after the earnings of American workers.<….>The real level of wages in Russian industry was quite high and exceeded the level of wages in England, Germany, and France.”
The conclusion from all this - whether we are living better or worse compared to 1913 - you can draw for yourself. The only pity is that we have ceased to understand what the connection of times is between historical tradition and modernity. But we had and still have something to be proud of! And there is something to regret and something to rethink. 400th anniversary of the Romanov dynasty - good reason look at the past centuries with an open mind and respect. And prayerfully ask our Lord Jesus Christ to admonish us sinners.”
In 1913, the country was at the peak of its greatness. The last pre-war year. There are no riots, the harvest is wonderful, the gold coin is golden. Even the first secretary of the CPSU Central Committee N.S. Khrushchev recalled with nostalgia (in 1959) his young years:
“I got married in 1914, when I was twenty years old. Since I had a good profession - a mechanic - I was able to immediately rent an apartment. It had a living room, kitchen, bedroom, dining room. As a mechanic in Donbass before the revolution, I earned 40-45 rubles a month. Black bread cost 2 kopecks per pound (410 g), and white bread cost 5 kopecks. Lard went for 22 kopecks per pound, eggs - a penny apiece. Good boots cost 6, at most 7 rubles. And after the revolution, wages dropped, and even greatly, while prices rose greatly... Years have passed since the revolution, and it pains me to think that I, a worker, lived much better under capitalism than workers lived under Soviet rule. Now we have overthrown the monarchy, the bourgeoisie, we have won our freedom, and people live worse than before...”
In 1913, the system seemed unshakable. Lenin sadly admitted: we will not see a revolution in our lifetime... Optimists predicted that after 20 years of peaceful life the country would become the richest and most powerful in the world. Unfortunately, history has not given Russia a peaceful life.
Let's see whether the democratic Russian Federation managed to surpass Tsarist Russia or whether there is still work left to do (according to the publication “Russia. 1913. Statistical and Documentary Directory.” St. Petersburg: RAS, Institute of Russian History, 1995).
100 years ago, about 94 million people lived within the current borders of the Russian Federation (Russian Federation) (the entire empire had about 174 million inhabitants, ranking third after the British Empire and China). Nowadays, the Russian Federation, having increased to 143.2 million people, already ranks 9th in the world in terms of population. Here we have even grown. But in the territory they lost: 3,336,935 sq. km.
In 1913 the rural population was 85%, urban - 15%. Now it's the other way around - 25% to 75%. By 1913, production (or GDP) growth was 10–15% per year. Today in the Russian Federation, GDP growth in 2013 is projected to be 3%. An interesting detail: in 1913, the autocracy allocated 14.6% of the budget to the Ministry of Public Education, and in 2013, the Ministry of Education received three times less from the State Duma and the government. And about something sore: 100 years ago there were 7 liters of alcohol per year per Russian capita, and now it’s 17.
In 1913, the gross grain harvest in Russia was 92.5 million tons. The Russian Empire produced half of the world's rye harvest and ranked 2nd in the world in terms of wheat yield. And last year we collected only 71 million tons. If a hundred years ago Russia was in 1st place among grain exporters, now it is only in fourth place, behind the USA, Canada and Australia. In 1913, almost a thousand kilometers of railways were built in Russia. Today there is no such indicator in our statistics.
True, today agricultural products are no longer the main export goods. If in 1913 57.4% of exports came from agriculture, 37 from the raw materials sector, today the share of raw materials exports has grown to 70%.
The exchange rate of the Nikolaev ruble was tied to the cost of a troy ounce of gold. If we compare it with today’s price of gold, it turns out that one royal ruble is equal to approximately 1300 of ours. The same Khrushchev, as a beginning mechanic, would have received 52 thousand rubles with our money. Of course, salaries in 1913, as today, were different - both by profession and by region. The average annual salary of a worker in Tsarist Russia in 1913 was 320 rubles. Or 34,700 rubles a month in modern money.
Loaders were paid 20(26 thousand at present) rubles per month. They received the same amount janitors and policemen. Salary paramedic was 50(65 thousand) rubles, officers - 100(130 thousand), like those of the teachers of the Law of God. Deputies of the first State Duma received 350 rubles(almost half a million of ours).
In the capital St. Petersburg Putilov workers were paid at least 100 rubles a month(130 thousand), tram car repairmen - 90 rubles(117 thousand), workers' assistants - 75 each(97,500). They also provided benefits for the education and maintenance of children, free departmental medical care (including medicines), full payment for the ballot (up to 45 days a year), paid two-week leave, compensation for renting housing, etc.
Housing was a bit tight. The people mostly huddled in rented apartments. Renting an apartment of 50 meters in the capital cost 32 and a half thousand per month in today's rubles. About the same as now. Canvas trousers cost a ruble in the store (1300), and shirts cost the same. An expensive demi-season coat could be ordered for tailoring for 19.50 (25 thousand with kopecks), and a chic suit for 16.75 (almost 22 thousand). Again, almost current prices.
A pound of meat cost 19 kopecks. This means that a kilogram is 46.39 kopecks. Or, in our opinion, 600 rubles. Buckwheat cost 10 kopecks per pound (130 rubles per 400 g), sugar - 12 kopecks per pound (more than 300 rubles per kilo), milk - 8 kopecks per bottle (over 100 rubles).
Most often the head of the family worked and provided for a family of 7-8 people. At the same time, on average, less than half of earnings were spent on feeding the family (up to 49%). In Europe and the USA at that time they spent 20-30% more on food! Yes, Russian workers and peasants consumed much less meat, but this was due to the Orthodox tradition. A large number of fasting days a year.
