Soft junk is an old name for fur, which was used as a hot commodity in the 15th and first half of the 18th century, and also as a cash equivalent. He was shot from mammals with valuable fur. The main method of production is hunting, which was called fur trade in Russia.
However, such animals were also often raised on special animal farms. It is noteworthy that the other components of the beast, as a rule, were not of interest to our ancestors: the fur itself was of exceptional value, which was in great demand not only in Russia, but also in other countries.
Term
Soft junk is the name that was used to refer to not raw but dressed hides. Since fur was one of the main articles of not only domestic but also foreign trade, it was also the main unit of taxation of the peoples that became part of the Russian state.
First of all, we are talking about Siberia, which is rich in fur-bearing animals. The fur was divided into two categories, which was reflected in the code of laws drawn up in the 19th century. It could be ordinary (skins of squirrels, scribes, ermines) and expensive (we are talking about the skins of foxes).
Tax
Soft junk is the main article not only of trade, but also of taxation. It was already mentioned above that the tsarist government collected yasak from the peoples of Siberia and the Far North.
In addition, up to the 18th century, this tax was also levied on the Volga tribes. It is known that the goal of developing Siberia was to obtain expensive sable, marten, fox and other animal furs . This product was an important part of the replenishment of the royal treasury. The importance that power attached to this article was given by the fact that a special Siberian order was in charge of its collection , and in the 18th century the imperial cabinet.
Thus, the question of what was called soft junk in Russia should be considered in the context of its economic history and the development of Siberia. You should also take into account the fact that the fur was often used as royal awards to serving people. From here came the famous expression of the award of a fur coat from the royal shoulder. However, the tax seemed to many to be very difficult, so requests were often received to replace the collection of fur with cash rent. Gradually, the government began to move from in-kind to financial taxation. So, soft junk is an important part of the Russian economy in the Middle Ages.