No business activity could take place without bribing the Tsarist officials first.[1] Much of the output of the Polish Partition was exported to Russia proper, especially after the border between Congress Poland and Russia was abolished in 1851.[9] The emancipation reform of 1861 was a major step towards industrialization and urbanization.[9] Particularly, the last three or four decades before World War I saw significant economic development and urbanization.[9] However, in many areas of the economy, development stalled.[9]