F. A. Seleznev, M. V. Surovova. Stroganovs at The All-Russian Exhibition of 1896: Adaptation
of Nobles-Entrepreneurs to the Realities of the Reformed Economy // Petersburg Historical Journal, no. 2, 2026, pp. 75–87.
DOI 10.51255/2311–603X_2026_2_75
Abstract:
The article examines the adaptation of the Stroganovs, a noble entrepreneurial family, to the
conditions of the capitalist economy. This examination is based on materials from the All-Russian Industrial and Artistic Exhibition of 1896. Recent studies have revealed that the Stroganovs introduced substantial modernisation processes in metallurgical production and salt extraction during the post-reform period. The exhibition materials illustrate the flexibility of the Stroganovs’ economic strategy, as they sought to enhance the competitiveness of their production. This objective was realised through the augmentation of their product range, which was contingent not only on progressive borrowings but also on the development of new equipment, instruments, and technologies. The Stroganovs were consistently proactive in their provision
of social support for both current and former employees and their families. This support took the form of hospitals, schools and provisions for the care of elderly and ill workers. In circumstances where local sources of coal and oil were absent, and given the complexities involved in the transportation of purchased fuel, S. A. Stroganov maintained firewood as the foundation of the fuel base. However, he attached great importance to the preservation and reproduction of forests, regarding them as the primary source of fuel. The transition to a capitalist economy, characterised by competition, resulted in an increased significance of advertising. In this regard, the Stroganovs demonstrated a commendable ability to maintain contemporary engagement,
as evidenced by their increasingly active participation in exhibition activities. By the close of the 19th century, members of the Stroganov family demonstrated a high level of adaptation to the economic realities of the postreform era. In general, the noble industry of the Ural region has exhibited both the readiness and the capacity to adjust to a capitalist economic framework.
Key words: Stroganovs, Shuvalovs, nobility, noble entrepreneurship, industrial exhibitions, history of Russia, post-reform period, Ural mining entrepreneurs, Ural, Perm province, history of metallurgy.
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