Commerce and state trade

Kobrin → Outstanding persons → Alexey Mikhaylovich Martynov

In the endured days when all atmosphere of public life is through impregnated with questions of the future market relations, mysterious and foggy for everyone, me instructive conversation which casual witness I appeared was remembered. There was it in memorable fall of 1939 when between settled "Westerners" and alien "vostochnik" continually there were brisk "showdowns". And everything was reduced to hazardous comparisons: how at you and how at us? Special vigilance in Westerners was caused until then by the unusual lines at shops which arose literally in the very first days of a new order. It struck especially as even during two-week Polish-German war, despite stocked by alarmed inhabitants, turns nevertheless were not observed.

And here in the middle of one of such discussions of lips of "vostochnik" the thoughtful explanation sounded: "And all difference is in what at you was Sold, and at us give". The accent became on missile defense.

And if to ponder, in this phrase the radical difference between two types of trade is to some extent extremely precisely noticed. Whereas the first entirely is based on widely selective operating by goods with voluntarily established prices, – possibilities of state trade are reduced to distributive functions among consumers of the everyday benefits received according to the tough order which is consolidated, being roughly expressed, to primitive "burst that is given". Besides often at the ridiculous prices which are unimaginably "frozen" for decades (for example, at least the cost of a box of matches inherited since pre-war time).

In in the slightest degree normal trade such phenomenon as a pripryatyvaniye even of superscarce goods does not meet anywhere, especially do not release it on protection under the counter, and even from an office entrance that stuck into flesh and blood to our skosobochenny trade.

Not to mention so fantastic phenomenon that the goods can "be given" easily and furthermore "to be thrown out", but not to be on sale, i.e. prosaically to exchange on state bank notes. At the same time at the commercial relations the ordinary buyer does not feel so deprived of civil rights and humiliated before loutish arrogance of the exclusive shopkeeper who can define easily randomly how many these or those goods to sell per customer.

In notes fluent as necessary we will try to consider the trade customs occurring in Kobrin till 1939 what however and are until now rather characteristic of the world market relations.

I happened to observe emergence from scratch of the tiny commercial enterprise, a so-called grocery shop.

And there was it so. Decades supplied the population of one of the city suburban streets called "petty-bourgeois" as the prevailing part of inhabitants consisted of hereditary petty bourgeoises grain-growers with essentials – from kerosene to herring – the shopkeeper monopolist Gershon.

And here in the thirties a certain enterprising aunt Lusya throws down to Gershon a challenge in the form of a similar profile of the shop opened on other end of the same street. The invention was rather risky as Gershon had steady clients. It knew each buyer by sight, possessed exhaustive data on his solvency on the basis of what sold goods in a certain limit on credit, on "book" in which the debt was entered. It is remarkable that if business came to court, these records served as full legal proofs even in the absence of the receipt of the debtor to whom the word was taken.

In turn Lusya staked on involvement of personal acquaintances, closest neighbors whom half-kilometer walks behind each melochishka not especially arranged.

Under a new shop the small angular room with an exit to a porch located in own wooden lodge was allocated. After settling of all formalities with public health service the trade patent of a certain category determining a certain sum of an annual turnover from which income tax was raised was acquired. It was necessary to get a counter and racks – and trade little by little began to be adjusted. Goods were acquired about wholesalers with a small discount. For a certain percent goods were trusted for. Besides, at desire to trade in products of the state monopoly – sugar, matches and tobacco and vodka products – trade was checked by the excise inspector.

Newly appeared "kuppova" was not deprived of a business grasp therefore reaction from its party to the slightest claims of buyers was instant. When first it was necessary to refuse to the client some goods, immediately the inquiry was considered and omission was eliminated. And, certainly, such businessman do not allow for anything damage of goods which in state trade under a lawful pretext would be subject to write-off.

And what trade is capable to change so quickly the cost of the same product, we will tell rolls, depending on term. It the private trader had not a rarity during a pre-revolutionary time when the hot roll went for 3 kopeks, cooled down for 2 kopeks, and yesterday's – for 1 kopek.

From twelve thousand pre-war kobrinets not less than five hundred families were fed with various commercial activity. As much shopkeepers it was disseminated through the county. There were wholesale warehouses and specialized shops, but lavchenka and stalls of a "universal" manner most of all prevailed, it is equal as skupochny points of agricultural products. To this brotherhood it is necessary to add a great number of handicraftsmen – bakers, shoemakers, tailors, shornik, tinmen, etc., – which along with individual orders were engaged in production and sale of own products. It is easy to imagine, the competition in separate branches was how cruel. And when the unlucky dealer got into an irredeemable debt, there came inevitable punishment in the form of bankruptcy.

It was necessary to see with what fawning look the merchant welcomed any buyer, invited the passing passerby "to come to look", tempted with preferential terms. When the choosy client before whom on a counter obsequiously threw out ten parcels of a manufactory nevertheless goes ungifted away, the highly experienced negotiator will even show no sign in the natural irritation. How here not to remember the apt remark of A. Sakharov: "In the capitalist world the seller chases the buyer, and it forces both to work better, and at socialism the buyer chases the seller and there is no time to think of work".

If more solid merchants called the prices which are not subject to further decrease, then at other trading brotherhood purchase and sale was followed ritual "by the bargaining to exhaustion". Whereas one party gradually reduces the requested payment, another adds and so before achievement of the acceptable compromise.

Everywhere twice a year unrealized seasonal goods went on sale with a considerable markdown. It is well-known that in the West the same goods on the periphery can be bought at much cut price in comparison with the center. Here prestigiousness of shop, the increased cost of representative overhead costs plays a role.

For satisfaction of more refined wishes of well-founded clients we had so-called "factors" – commission agents. By the special order they delivered in the deafest corners more rare goods which are absent on daily sale and other, the latest foreign drugs. At the order a certain deposit which did not come back in case of refusal to accept goods was raised. Having collected a certain set of orders, the factor twice a week made voyage to Warsaw, and is frequent also to Vienna. And conditions were shown quite accepted. The fundamental law of the prospering trade was the fastest turnover of fixed assets, by the principle "the chicken on a kernel pecks and is full".

The long-suffering of businessmen which in some cases was shown concerning whimsical buyers could only be surprised.

When the first radio receivers of foreign brands in the thirties went on sale, they were on sale in long-term payment by installments. And as the prices thoroughly "bit", were available to the little. By request of the credible client the device was delivered to the apartment, the antenna then to the buyer an opportunity "to test" the receiver within two weeks became was installed. Such test of durability of merchant nerves – differently you will not call – two-three times could repeat. Whether well fairy tale?

If at us only in the form of a rare exception the buyer exchanges lean courtesies with the seller, then in foreign shops words "please", "I thank" and flit between partners, not to mention an ulybchivost which is obligatory from the seller. In large Japanese shops at an entrance and an exit ranks of seductive girls who meet are built and see off buyers bows and thanks for visit …

And in conclusion, a couple of the characteristic shtrishk characterizing the market relations. A certain category of shopkeepers specialized that, leaving in trade and holidays far to the country, intercepted the exhausted pedestrian countrywomen bearing living creatures and other gifts of the nature skillfully fooled by fine words while the become puzzled bumpkin gave goods at half price. Further realization allowed to be fed to the whole family.

Since early morning on all city, despite of weather conditions, dealers dispersed from two weighty baskets an armpit. They delivered to regular customers with a heat hot rolls, steering-wheels, croissants and other "печиво" which was often lent, because of illiteracy did without records. But memory was a vytrenirovana extremely, did not misfire.

Though our future option of "the adjustable market relations" most likely can be unpredictable the original semi-market far from the standard stereotypes, nevertheless is thought that the offered notes can be useful to reflections and comparisons on the set subject.

A.M. Martynov



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