Thus, were Russia to become a self-supplying nation, requiring neither exports nor imports, this would be equivalent to turning back the wheels of history. Russia's emancipation from the German domination, the consummation of which will remove the chief obstacle in the way of her economic development, can never be accomplished by such reactionary means.
The only right way is just the opposite of this. Russia must develop and increase her trade with foreign countries, especially her present allies and some of the neutral countries. This will make it possible for the productive forces of the country to develop precisely along the lines required by the economic and social conditions in which Russia finds herself at the present historic moment. It is well to note in this connection that England and Belgium alone can provide a larger market than Germany for the exportation of agricultural products.
In considering the question of Russia's economic rapprochement with other countries, we must bear in mind that under such conditions only can we expect an inflow of capital into Russia, and such an inflow is necessary not only to increase the exchange value of Russian money, but also to facilitate the development of Russia's productive forces.
I have recently made tentative calculations as to the minimum sum that Russia will be compelled to expend during five or six years immediately following the War, in order to make this development possible. This sum would equal at least five or six billion roubles. For example, it would be necessary to spend no less than three or four billion roubles for the construction of new railroads, the purchase of new rolling stock, the improvement of roads. The construction of additional grain elevators would require an outlay of about one hundred, or one hundred and fifty million dollars. The need of increasing the number of grain elevators becomes perfectly apparent when we recall that the capacity of grain elevators in Russia is one-sixth of the capacity of elevators in Canada.
About five hundred million roubles will have to be spent for the improvement of harbors, the construction of piers, etc. The strengthening of the mercantile fleet will require two or three hundred million roubles, while the navy will require an outlay of at least a half-billion roubles. Moreover, it will be necessary to spend at least another half-billion roubles for the improvement of water-ways, especially in the way of connecting the rivers Volga, Don, and Dnieper by means of canals. Finally,
