Russian economic growth during the eighteenth century

We provide estimates of economic growth at decadal frequency for Russia during the eighteenth century. Although GDP per head increased between the 1690s and 1760s, this was followed by a period of negative growth between the 1760s and 1800s, leaving GDP per capita just 17 per cent higher at the end of the century than at its beginning. Although Russia’s strong growth in large-scale industry during the eighteenth century has received much attention, this was starting from a very low base. Peter the Great’s modernisation drive thus had only a small effect on the economy as a whole, which remained dominated by agriculture and small-scale industry