Russian Economy and Foreign Investments in the late 19th–early 20th Centuries: A View from France

Abstract. The article analyzes the ideas of French researchers and experts of the late 19th–early 20th centuries on the economic situation in Russia during the corresponding period. In the conditions of Russian-French rapprochement, the purpose of creating special works of this kind was to study the diplomatic ally from the point of view of the prospects for economic cooperation, its probable benefits and risks. The paper reveals general tendency of assessing Russia as a strong, growing economic actor. According to the authors of the studied works, an important role in building up the financial and industrial base for strengthening the position of the country belonged to foreign capital. Some works considered in detail different foreign investments in various areas of Russian production as well as participation of Western European specialists in the development of new technologies. At the same time, the attitude towards the prospects for economic partnership between Russia and France turned out to be ambiguous. One of the points of view expressed was about the inefficiency of the economic union and even its danger for the French side. In general, the future of Russia was seen as favorable, since the previously existing difficulties (such as lack of capital) were gradually overcome, the further growth of the material well-being of the state seemed obvious, all of these allowed French researchers to consider the ally country almost the main defender of peace in the international arena.

Keywords: Franco-Russian alliance, intellectual discourse, Russian economy at the turn of the 19th–20th centuries, foreign capital, economic partnership, foreign investment.