40
2.5. Capital Penetration in Bukhara
The capitalist penetration in Bukhara started with the construction of Trans-
Caspian railways. Introduction of railroads to Bukhara enabled Bukhara to adapt to
Russia and the West. The railways directly changed
the system of Bukhara in a
manner of economy, society and culture. Opening of Bukharan society to the
Western world through railways was a first attempt for unpreventable change in the
Emirate in the following years. “The first consequence
of the conquest was the
opening of Central Asia and Bukhara to capitalist penetration, especially after the
construction of the Trans-Caspian railway.
This project, undertaken for military
purposes, profoundly altered the economic life of Central Asia”.
100
The most
benefited group in Bukhara in the construction of railways was merchants. Although
railways benefited Russia to take the region under control more effectively and this
situation worried the Emir; merchants were profitable because
of decrease in their
costs for carriage. “The railroad did not strip Bukhara of its central role, but
connected the city to Moscow and to Nihny-Novgorod. And whereas the carriage of
pud (or 16.38kg) of goods by caravan from Bukhara to Orenburg would cost a much
as three rubles, the railway brought the cost down (carriage guaranteed and insured
as far as Moscow) to 70 kopecks per pud, which considerably improved the situation
of the local merchants”.
101
In addition to benefits and advantages for the inner
merchants, it enabled Bukhara to open to the world markets. The foreign merchants
could arrive in Bukhara for trade. The railway enabled Armenian, French and Jewish
merchants to arrive. It was not only beneficial for Russian merchants. There were so
many European merchants, coming to Bukhara for trade that the Emir put surtax on
100
Carrere D’Encausse, Hèlene, trans.,Islam
and the Russian Empire Reform and Revolution in
Central Asia
, (London: I.B.Tauris-Co Ltd, 1966), 39.
101
Carrere D’Encausse, Hèlene, trans., Islam
and the Russian Empire Reform and Revolution in
Central Asia
, (London: I.B.Tauris-Co Ltd, 1966), 40.
41
karakul in 1905 in order to protect Russian and Bukharan merchants. But,
Bukhara
continued to attract karakul buyers from London, Paris, Berlin and Constantinople as
well as Moscow
.
102
Opening of Bukhara to foreign traders provided increase in
economic development of the country and that opening up inevitably would bring the
enlightenment in political and social life.
After the spreading influence and control by
Russians in the region and
increase of capitalist penetration year by year, the number of settlers began to
increase both in Turkistan and in Bukhara. Russians began to come to Bukhara from
1873 on and they brought their civilization
through constructing roads, railways,
garrisons and customs posts. According to 1896 census, 12,150 Russian subjects
were in Bukhara and there were 8000 soldiers among them. And, in the beginning of
the
Great War, the Russian population in the emirate was almost 50, 000 except
military staff. Towards the end of the 19
th
century, Russian colonies increased more
along the railroad and Amu Darya.
103
According to 1906 census, 5,378,000 Central
Asians and 322, 000 Russian settlers
were in Turkestan
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