Economy as a factor in nation-building (by a case study of France and Russia in 1870-1914)

The purpose of the study is to consider the economy as a factor contributing to the nation-building in France and Russia in the last third of the 19th - early 20th centuries. Its main aspects include monopolization accompanied by the increased role of the state, the desire of the central authority to control the relationships between the bourgeoisie and the proletariat, the strive of the state to increase the economic impact in the international arena during the struggle for a redivision of the world. Based on the materials analyzed, the author concluded that industrial capitalism had consolidated the national system both in France and in Russia. In addition, success in policy on implementing each aspect played a pivotal role in the process of social integration and the ability to withstand internal and external challenges.