Diffusion of Innovations in the Far East of Russia during the Late 19th to Early 20th Centuries (by the Example of Electrification)

Abstract

The article analyzes the historical conditions, identifies channels, agents and features of the distribution of innovative products in the Russian Far East during the late 19th and early 20th centuries, using electrification as an example. It determines the role of electro-technical innovations in the modernization process of the region, highlighting the favorable historical conditions that developed for the diffusion of innovations in the Far East. The government policy, which aimed at opening up the Far Eastern economy and attracting foreign entrepreneurs, as well as the high susceptibility of the Far Eastern population to innovations, accelerated diffusion processes. The primary agents and translators of innovations were foreign nationals, particularly entrepreneurs from Germany. The study concludes that the diffusion processes of electrical innovations became the most crucial element of the modernization of the region, playing a critical role in forming the Far Eastern industry, developing urban amenities, changing everyday culture and improving the population's quality of life. The historical experience of electrification of the Far East at the turn of the 19th – 20th centuries shows that the diffusion of innovations occurs as Russia moves along the path of modernization, its readiness for openness and strengthening contacts with foreign countries.