A new trade charter is a law on the rules of foreign and domestic trade. The most important is the document adopted in the 17th century on the initiative of Alexei Mikhailovich. It is also significant that this document laid the foundation for the development of the customs system in our country.
New Trade Charter: History of Adoption
What were the reasons that prompted the king to tighten the rules of trade, both domestically and abroad? Naturally, this is an increase in the volume of trade itself. With the development of this industry, special legislation was required that would establish certain requirements for merchants regarding the transport of goods, payment of state taxes, and also customs duties. The reason for the adoption of such a document was a petition filed by important merchants to the tsar himself. After a special commission was developed.
The trade charter of 1653 was adopted in mid-autumn. It was of great importance both for Russia and for other countries with which we had close trade ties. What was the effect of this charter? Firstly, numerous small trading fees were canceled, which were a direct relic of the period of feudal fragmentation. Secondly, the Trade Charter established a ruble duty - this is a fixed tax, the amount of which was determined by the type of goods sold. Thirdly, he suggested the elimination of tolls - this is a special type of tax that merchants paid when importing goods into the internal cities of the state. Fourth, the Novotorgovy charter left the levy at the guest houses, as well as in the event of re-melting through large rivers. Fifthly, this document made it clear that Tsar Alexei Mikhailovich intends to encourage the activities of mainly domestic manufacturers, as evidenced by the increase in duties for foreign merchants.
Thus, foreign traders paid up to eight percent of the tax both for domestic trade and for import / export of goods. In addition to the rules of trade, the Novotrade Charter also fixed the punishment for their violation. So, in case of concealment of goods during customs inspection, merchants could be punished with a whip or sent to the yard to work together with serfs.
It should be noted that the text of the document was supplemented several times. For example, in 1654, supplements were introduced in the form of a charter, which forbade taking duties on the possessions of feudal lords, both spiritual and secular. Soon, a new Trade Charter was adopted, the occasion for the publication of which again was the petition of higher merchants.
New trade charters have become an important part of trade development in Russia. It was in the seventeenth century that the formation of a single all-Russian market of the country began, and the adoption of special legislation became an important step for this. It is worth noting that the day the adoption of the first Trade Charter was now Customs Day in Russia. This suggests that the government remembers all the merits of its predecessors, that their transformations became a significant event in the development and formation of our country.