YSI-EHES Economic History Graduate Webinar: Viktor Malein

Viktor Malein, doctoral candidate from the University of Southern Denmark will present his paper: Human Capital and Industrialization: the Case of German Colonists in the Late Imperial Russia.

Registration form to attend the webinar: here.

Abstract: Between 1890 and 1913, Russian Empire experienced a rapid transition to an advanced industrial economy, catching up with Western countries. The paper explores human capital’s role in Russia’s growth utilizing a unique historical experiment – the arrival of German colonists in 1763-1861, before Russia’s industrial spurt. Upon arrival in Russia, the colonists developed primary schools that played an essential role in settlers’ human capital formation throughout the 19th-20th centuries. I show that the schooling advancements caused by the colonists facilitated growth when Russia took an advanced phase of industrialization in the 1890s. The German presence increased modern occupations’ share and generated productivity gains in the industrial sector. I show that the effect is visible only in the modern industries, experiencing an inflow of new technologies and managerial practices with higher human capital requirements. Additionally, I demonstrate the positive spillover effect – the increase in literacy rates of the native population. One of the factors that can contribute to spillover effect is the increase in public funding at local level. Overall, the paper contributes to understanding human capital’s role in the industrial transition, showing the importance of population’s access to primary schooling.