Urban Everyday Life and Electrification in Context of Fuel Crises in First Quarter of 20th Century

The article examines the social response to the introduction of new electric technologies (street lighting and trams) in cities, as well as the limitations on their use during periods of fuel crises. The concepts of “energy transition” and “shift towards consumerism” serve as the methodological basi...

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Main Author: A. B. Agafonova
Format: Article
Language:Russian
Published: Tsentr nauchnykh i obrazovatelnykh proektov 2023-10-01
Series:Научный диалог
Subjects:
Online Access:https://www.nauka-dialog.ru/jour/article/view/4886
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author A. B. Agafonova
author_facet A. B. Agafonova
author_sort A. B. Agafonova
collection DOAJ
description The article examines the social response to the introduction of new electric technologies (street lighting and trams) in cities, as well as the limitations on their use during periods of fuel crises. The concepts of “energy transition” and “shift towards consumerism” serve as the methodological basis for the study. The author relies on L.B. Kafengauz’s periodization when analyzing changes in cities’ electricity supply. The research shows that the new electric infrastructure was in demand among city dwellers. The adaptability of power plants to fuel shortages allowed for the maintenance of electricity supply during crisis years. For the first time, city residents faced a shortage of fuel for power plants during the First World War and the Civil War. The fuel crisis of 1901-1908 went unnoticed by urban populations, as power plant operations were more often disrupted due to worker strikes than fuel shortages. The article discusses the public debate that erupted in Moscow in 1909 regarding the acceptability of allowing tram traffic on Red Square. It also reports on the discussion in contemporary periodicals of the phenomenon of “tramvayizatsiya literatury” (the “tramwayization” of literature, “the literature for trams”): more than half of the passengers on tram cars were reading newspapers or books. The author has gathered interesting materials on worker strikes at tram depots, dissatisfaction among passengers with sharp hat pins on women’s hats, and other social issues that arose as a result of electrifying city life during the specified period.
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institution Kabale University
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publishDate 2023-10-01
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series Научный диалог
spelling doaj-art-ea84111cb5df48b7a645e7b4338750782025-08-25T18:13:31ZrusTsentr nauchnykh i obrazovatelnykh proektovНаучный диалог2225-756X2227-12952023-10-0112834837110.24224/2227-1295-2023-12-8-348-3712584Urban Everyday Life and Electrification in Context of Fuel Crises in First Quarter of 20th CenturyA. B. Agafonova0National Research University Higher School of EconomicsThe article examines the social response to the introduction of new electric technologies (street lighting and trams) in cities, as well as the limitations on their use during periods of fuel crises. The concepts of “energy transition” and “shift towards consumerism” serve as the methodological basis for the study. The author relies on L.B. Kafengauz’s periodization when analyzing changes in cities’ electricity supply. The research shows that the new electric infrastructure was in demand among city dwellers. The adaptability of power plants to fuel shortages allowed for the maintenance of electricity supply during crisis years. For the first time, city residents faced a shortage of fuel for power plants during the First World War and the Civil War. The fuel crisis of 1901-1908 went unnoticed by urban populations, as power plant operations were more often disrupted due to worker strikes than fuel shortages. The article discusses the public debate that erupted in Moscow in 1909 regarding the acceptability of allowing tram traffic on Red Square. It also reports on the discussion in contemporary periodicals of the phenomenon of “tramvayizatsiya literatury” (the “tramwayization” of literature, “the literature for trams”): more than half of the passengers on tram cars were reading newspapers or books. The author has gathered interesting materials on worker strikes at tram depots, dissatisfaction among passengers with sharp hat pins on women’s hats, and other social issues that arose as a result of electrifying city life during the specified period.https://www.nauka-dialog.ru/jour/article/view/4886shift towards consumerismlate imperial citysoviet citysocial history of electrificationenvironmental historyenergy transition
spellingShingle A. B. Agafonova
Urban Everyday Life and Electrification in Context of Fuel Crises in First Quarter of 20th Century
Научный диалог
shift towards consumerism
late imperial city
soviet city
social history of electrification
environmental history
energy transition
title Urban Everyday Life and Electrification in Context of Fuel Crises in First Quarter of 20th Century
title_full Urban Everyday Life and Electrification in Context of Fuel Crises in First Quarter of 20th Century
title_fullStr Urban Everyday Life and Electrification in Context of Fuel Crises in First Quarter of 20th Century
title_full_unstemmed Urban Everyday Life and Electrification in Context of Fuel Crises in First Quarter of 20th Century
title_short Urban Everyday Life and Electrification in Context of Fuel Crises in First Quarter of 20th Century
title_sort urban everyday life and electrification in context of fuel crises in first quarter of 20th century
topic shift towards consumerism
late imperial city
soviet city
social history of electrification
environmental history
energy transition
url https://www.nauka-dialog.ru/jour/article/view/4886
work_keys_str_mv AT abagafonova urbaneverydaylifeandelectrificationincontextoffuelcrisesinfirstquarterof20thcentury