The role of the Chita branch of the State bank of Russian empire in the economic development of the pre-revolutionary Transbaikalia

In 2024 the Branch of the Bank of Russia in the Transbaikal Territory will celebrate the 130th anniversary of its opening. The history of the development of the Chita Branch of the State Bank shows that banking in Transbaikalia has always served the interests of the state and society and has contributed to the development of the regional economy. The material of this article is the result of the study and processing of archival data on the work of the department, first of all, characterizing the rules and results of accounting operations with bills of exchange, through which the settlements and short-term crediting of trade, industry and agriculture of the time were provided, which undoubtedly had an impact on the economic development of the region. The given examples also give an opportunity to see the peculiarities of banking and commercial and industrial activity in the pre-revolutionary period. The Bank of Russia in contrast to the State Bank of the Russian Empire does not provide direct credit support to economic entities, it uses more effective for the modern economy instruments of monetary regulation, contributing to the attractiveness of the banks’ lending to the real sector and thereby creating channels to finance the production sector. The knowledge of historical facts provides an opportunity, looking back into the past, to systematize the present situation and determine the directions of development.