The coal crisis of 1898-1902 in the Congress Kingdom of Poland

Abstract

The article analyzes the coal crisis that took place in the Congress Kingdom of Poland between 1898 and 1902, which led to the first general strike in the Polish lands and was an element of social unrest that found its outlet in the revolution of 1905. The aim of the article is to expand knowledge about the crises in the Polish lands, to present the specificity, course and impact of the crisis on the economy and society of the Congress Kingdom of Poland. Due to the lack of studies and archival documents on the analyzed issue, the article is based largely on selected press materials. The causes of the crisis are discussed, in which the customs policy of the Russian Empire and the first syndicate established in the Polish lands played an important role. Then the article presents the course of the crisis, taking into account the differing situations of large cities and provinces. Another important element related to the crisis were the actions of the authorities consisting in the centralization of purchases and attempts at administrative and legal solutions to alleviate the effects of the scarcity of coal on the market. Finally, the article discusses social reactions to the crisis itself and attempted counteractions. Both the reactions of industrial groups and the reactions of the social masses are discussed.