Trade on the Frontier: Entrepreneurial Techniques and Practices in the Russian Far East in the Second Half of the 19th – Early 20th Centuries

The article is devoted to the specifics of the forms and methods of trade on the Far Eastern frontier in the second half of the 19th – early 20th centuries. At the initial stage of colonization of the region, trade was distinguished by a number of features characteristic of frontier zones: the predominance of import trade, distribution trade carried out along the rivers from barges, fairs and mixed stationary trade. One of the main features of trade on the Far Eastern frontier was significant foreign influence. The competitive advantages of entrepreneurs from the USA and European countries were formed at the first stage of colonization from the delivery of goods by sea, the presence of established connections with suppliers of goods in the homeland, the possibility of obtaining a loan or the availability of working capital, the attraction of qualified compatriot employees, high quality of service and a comfortable environment in stores, and at the beginning of the 20th century – due to the export of technical innovations, further improvement of the quality of service, and the introduction of new standards of retail premises. We can speak of the perception of some of these practices by Russian merchants and positive changes in the organization of their trade business only in relation to the end of the 19th – beginning of the 20th century. It is difficult to judge, given the lack of memoirs of regional entrepreneurs, whether this occurred under the influence of European entrepreneurs or it was a consequence of business development and the increased level of education of local merchants. The main reasons for the success of the Chinese traders were solidarity, the ability to please the customer, mutual lending, minimizing expenses on advertising, insurance, furnishings of retail premises, heating, lighting and wages of employees, as well as the use of illegal and legal, but morally dubious methods of enrichment - the sale of low-quality or spoiled goods, non-payment of taxes, smuggling, fraud. Russian and European entrepreneurs estimated the methods and practices of Chinese entrepreneurs negatively, and perceived them as dangerous competitors. The Asian influence on Russian entrepreneurial culture was complicated not only by the existence of a religious and cultural boundary between the Chinese and Russians, but also by the European idea of civilizational superiority and the civilizing mission of Europe, which was accepted by the educated society of the Russian Empire and formed the basis for the attitude not only towards aborigine, but also towards Chinese migrants.