WERNER ON CONCENTRATION IN THE RUHR MINING INDUSTRY (original) (raw)

Vladimir Ilyich Lenin

NOTEBOOK “α”

(“ALPHA”)


WERNER ON CONCENTRATION IN THE RUHR MINING INDUSTRY

G. Werner, “Concentration of Capital in the Ruhr Mining
Industry”, Die Neue Zeit, 1913, p. 138 (October 25,
1912).

Ruhr area:

  1. Deutsche Bank group:

| | 4 persons are directors or board members in four banks: | | | | | -------------------------------------------------------------- | -------------------------- | ------------------------- | ----- | | ⎧ ⎨ ⎩ | (α) | Deutsche Bank . . . . . . | all 4 | | (β) | Essener Kredit-Anstalt . . | 2 of them | | | (γ) | Essener Bank-Verein . . . | 2 ” ” | | | (δ) | Bergisch-Märkische Bank. | 2 | |

Mines within this bank’s “sphere of influence”:

| 20 mines— | 66,233 workers; | 18.6 mill. tons | (1907) | | | | ------------ | ----------------- | ------------------- | ------ | | | | 72,594 ” ; | 19.3 ” ” | (1910) | | | |

  1. Dresdner Bank and Schaaffhausenscher Bankverein
    group:

| | 9 persons are directors or board members in both banks. | | | | | | | | ---------------------------------------------------------------- | ------------ | ---------------- | -------------------- | ------ | | | | | This group controls: | | | | | | | | 7 | mines— | 23,269 workers | —5.98 mill. tons | (1907) | | | | | 27,963 ” | —7.2 ” ” | (1910) | | | | |

| | | | | | | | | - | | ------------------ | | | | | | | | Mines? | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | “Werke” or“Zechen” | | | | | | | | | | |

Magnatesof capital Chief banks Firms, no. ofmine, etc. 1910
Workers Ton
∿∿∿∿∿∿∿∿∿ (000) Mill.)
4 persons—“personalunion” of4 banks Deutsche Bank+3 other banks (Deutscher Bank-konzern)(20 mines) α 72.6 19.3
Haniel Private propertyand mine GuteHoffnungshütte(2 mines) γ 35.1 9.9
Kildorf Discontogesell-schaft GelsenkirchenerBank Aktiengesellschaft δ (1) 34.4 8.5
Stinnes Discontogesell-schaft Private propertyand Deutsch-Luxemburger δ (2) 34.6 9.1
Berliner Handels-gesellschaft Harpener BankAktiengesell-schaf ε (1) 25.9 7.1
9 persons—“personalunion” Dresdner Bank,Schaaffhausen-scher Bank-verein Dresdner-SchaaffhausenerBanken β (7) 28.0 7.2
Berliner Handelsgesellschaft Hibernia Aktiengesellschaft ε (1) 18.3 5.4
Thyssen γKrupp γFisk (1)(1)(1) 16.212.211.1 3.93.12.3
Σ= 288.5 75.9
Total in Ruhrarea 354.2 89.3
% of these firms 81.5 85

| | No. of mines | Workers (000) | Mill. tons | | | | --------------- | ------------- | ---------- | ---- | ---------------------------------------------- | | α) | 20 | 72.6 | 19.3 | Deutsche Bank | | β) | 7 | 28.0 | 7.2 | Dresdner Bank + Schaaffhaiisenscher Bankverein | | γ) | 4 | 63.5 | 16.9 | 3 magnates | | δ) | 3 | 69.0 | 17.6 | Discontogesellschaft | | ε) | 2 | 44.2 | 2.5 | Berliner Handelsgesellschaft | | Fisk) | 1 | 11.1 | 2.3 | |

| “In the Ruhr mining industry the interests, of thewhole nation come into conflict with the interests ofa quite insignificant number of capitalists, who numberhardly one hundred” (p. 144). | | | | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- | | |

| | | | | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- | | | | Incidentally, this article deals with the question ofwhether or not the syndicate will be renewed. ConsultConrad’s chronicle for this period (October-December1912, etc.). | | | | | |