The evolution of the excise system in Bessarabia (1863-1893)

In the present study we aim to analyze the impact that the excise system introduced in the Russian Empire on January 1, 1863 had on the evolution in Bessarabia of the industrial branches of manufacturing of alcoholic beverages, tobacco products, sugar and salt. The importance of the formulated problem lies in the fact that in the middle of the 19th century, the alcoholic beverage production industry ranked first in the region in terms of production value, followed by salt production. The tobacco and sugar industries, on the other hand, were branches that were just being formed. With the imposition of the new excise system, these industrial branches had a different evolution, but in general with little progress, some even going into decline. This was also exacerbated by the fact that some regions of the empire enjoyed privileges regarding the payment of excise duties.