Gilan in the Early Twentieth Century (1900–1908): Economic Potential and Trade Development Prospects with Russia

Abstract

Nineteenth-and early twentieth-century Russia-Persia economic relations have been widely described in domestic and foreign historiographies. However, some regional features of the process, development of Russian trade with various provinces of the Qajar Empire — including its northwestern regions economically dominated by Russia — have escaped researchers’ attention. So, the problem of Russia’s economic penetration into Gilan also remains an understudied topic in modern historiography. Goals. The paper shall analyze reports by Russian diplomats for insights into how the national economy of Gilan would specifically develop and for evaluations of its export potential in the early twentieth century. Results. The article examines the dynamics of Russia-Gilan economic relations and challenges of economic cooperation faced by the former. Considerable attention is given to the significance of Russia and Persia’s Armenian communities (and other subjects of the Romanov Empire) in the economic dialogue between Russia and Gilan. Another research problem is that of how Russian capital would penetrate into Gilan and further develop therein. The political instabilities in Russia and Persia had most negative impacts on Russia-Gilan economic contacts. Conclusions. The work resumes Russian diplomats emphasized Russia’s dominant role in trade relations with Gilan since the former asserted control over a considerable portion of sugar exports and rice imports from the region. Russian exporters were substantially assisted by the Rasht office of the Discount and Loan Bank, including via granting credits to merchants of Gilan. Russian diplomats tended to conclude it was the intensification of private entrepreneurship and further assistance from the government that would secure further strengthening of Russia’s economic positions in Gilan.