V. I.   Lenin

NOTEBOOK “γ”

(“GAMMA”)

Theodor Vogelstein, Capitalist Forms of Organisation in Modern Big Industry, Vol. I: “Organisational Forms of the Iron and Textile Industries in Great Britain and America”, Leipzig, 1910.

pp. 54–56.

The British firms: Vickers, Son and Maxim, Ltd.; Browns; Cammels, now own (iron ore) mines, coal mines, iron and steel plants, shipyards, several explosives factories, etc., etc.

The Rail Cartel:

||| Division of the world: 1884 “During the very severe depression of 1884, British, Belgian and German rail firms agreed on a division of export business, on the understanding that there would be no competition in their home markets. At first Great Britain was allotted 66 per cent, Belgium 7 per cent and Germany 27 per cent of the exports; later the figures were somewhat modified in favour of the continental countries. India was reserved entirely for Great Britain.... The British firms divided their share among themselves and fixed a price which enabled plants working under unfavourable conditions to continue in operation.... Joint war was declared against a British firm remaining outside the cartel, the cost of which was met by a levy of two shillings on all sales. ||| 1886 But when two British firms retired from the cartel, it collapsed”....^[1] (quoted from the edition of 1886).... “Twenty years elapsed before a new international association was formed. In spite of all efforts, it was impossible, during these decades of rapid industrial development on the continent and in America, to reach agreement on territorial limits and quotas....

||| 1904 “In 1904 an agreement was at last reached with Germany, Belgium and France on the basis of 53.50 per cent, 28.83 per cent and 17.67 per cent for the first three countries” (sic?? Britain, Belgium, Germany??). “France took part with 4.8 units in the first year, and 5.8 and 6.4 units in the second and third years, in a total amount which   was increased by these percentages, hence in 104.8, 105.8 and 106.4 units.

“In 1905 an agreement was reached also with the United States, and in the following year ... Austria and the [ DOUBLE BOX: ] Altos Hornos plants in Spain were brought into the alliance. At the present time, the division of the world is complete, and the big consumers, primarily the state railways—since the world has been parcelled out without consideration [ DOUBLE BOX: good example!! ] for their interests—can now dwell like the poet in the heavens of Jupiter”^[2] (pp. 99–100).

As regards the United States Steel Corporation, it is still an open question whether Charles Schwab is right in maintaining that the iron ore mines of Lake Superior (mostly bought up by the Steel Corporation) will soon be the only ones left—or whether Carnegie is right in thinking that many ore deposits will still be found in America.

The share of the Steel Corporation in American output (p. 275):

Notes

[1] Ibid., pp. 251–52.—Ed.

[2] See present edition, Vol. 22, p. 252.—Ed.

[3] Ibid., p. 203.—Ed.