96 REFORM OF RUSSIA'S FINANCES AND CENTRAL ADMINISTRATIONto exclude from his calculations the possibility of a war with France
(as noted in the previous chapter, he predicted such a conflict), andthe need for emergency expenses. As if realising his, and the govern-
ment's, helplessness in this respect, Speranky only repeats his entreaties
that all assignats be considered a debt of the state, including even such
new ones that might have to be issued in an emergency. 1 This is not
much of a concrete proposal, but the only one Speransky felt he could
reasonably make at this point. At any rate, cuts in the expenditures of
the government should follow a reasonable system that would safeguard
the economic welfare of the nation. For 1810, Speransky suggests that
only the following be considered as useful expenditures: "those ...
which are used for promoting and 'fertilizing' [sic] various branches of
industry whose benefits are clearly proven; 2. those [expenditures]
without which the various tasks of the administration could not be
carried on ... 3. those expenditures whose delay ... can temporarily
reduce the benefits of the government:' 2 Admittedly, this is a some-
what broad and vague definition. But compared to the total picture
of ordinary expenses, it limits expenditures to those which are shown
to be clearly consonant with the welfare and interests of the state as a
whole, and not merely of individuals and privileged institutions. But
what about extraordinary expenditures, should they arise? In Speransky's
view, the only real emergency expenditures would be for war. Should
war break out, the military needs can be satisfied by levying a property
tax (in form of a loan) and by increasing the sale of state lands.
Barring war, there are only three kinds of extraordinary expenditures
the government should permit: upkeep of the army, pensions, and rents
(arendy) granted to officers and officials for meritorious service.
Actually, payments on the last two items can be suspended for a year
or two, and in case of urgent need, pensions can be replaced by
"expectatives" or government promissory notes (apparently negotiable). 3
It is not enough to limit the expenditures, it is the revenue of the
state that must be increased by all means possible, argues Speransky.
Such an increase can be obtained by a better distribution of the burden
of taxation and by improving the state-enterprises (state lands, forests,
mines, salt trade, etc.). As we have noted, he does not think that new
sources of revenue can be found readily. But as capital for redeeming the
assignats must be raised, he suggests that the following might yield
some results: import duties, sale of copper bullion, sale of uninhabited
1 Plan Finansov, Sec. 40, p. 11.
2 Plan Finansov, Sec. 7, p. 6.
3 Plan Finansov, Sec. 34, p. 10.