On the dynamics of standard of living in Russia, 1874-1912

The question of the development of living standards in Russia prior to the First World War is controversial. Whereas traditional historiography supported the pessimistic point of view, the revisionist ‘optimistic' school thinks that the standard of living rose and that the Russian revolution was a result of political, rather than economic, factors. One of the main arguments of the ‘optimistic' school is the increase in the height of conscripts in the period 1874-1912 revealed by the calculations of B.N.Mironov. This article is a critical analysis of the calculations of B.N.Mironov. The authors point out that these calculations contain a mistake, caused by B.N.Mironov's ignoring the 1890 alteration in the way the reports on the heights of recruits were compiled. When accurately calculated, the height of recruits did not increase, and this seriously weakens the arguments of the ‘optimistic' school.