The Anatomy of Russian Capitalism by Stanislav M. Menshikov , Rachel B. Douglas (review)

Abstract

REVIEWS 3gi bysuperior power'(p. 208).Thismeanta newly unified opposition and much stronger civilsociety, butD'Anierialso developstheargument he has made elsewhere about theimportance ofelite'signalling' earlyon in theprotests thatallowedcrowdsto grow,and theimportance ofdividedand unwilling security forces.D'Anieri providesa usefulreminder thattheyhad helped Kuchmaprevailin an earlierconfrontation withparliament in 2000 (p. 90). The OrangeRevolution helpeddividepowerinUkraine, butwas notitself a successful revolution againstpowerpolitics - although thatis exactly what manyprotestors on theMaidan wanted. D'Anieri's apt assessment of the constitutional reformagreed in 2004 and enactedin2006isthatitdisperses political power,but'rather thanestablishing clearly separatepowersthatcan "checkand balance" one another, it createsoverlapping powers'(pp. 245-46), and therefore makesconflict or stalemate morelikely, muchlikethatwhichUkrainesuffered in 1991-95.He supports theshift to fullPR, and theadoptionof theimperative mandate, arguing that'a strong case can be made thatitis more representative thana system where[parliamentary] members are freeagents'(p. 188). D'Anieriprovides manymoretelling judgements on individual details.His comparisons ofUkrainewithother'electiveauthoritarianisms' in theformer SovietUnion and farther afieldare apt and illuminating. This book is a triumph ofwriting and research and willmakethejob ofanyoneteaching a courseon modernUkrainea loteasier. UCL SSEES AndrewWilson Menshikov, Stanislav M. The Anatomy ofRussian Capitalism. Translated from the Russian by Rachel B. Douglas. ExecutiveIntelligence Review (EIR) News Service,Washington, D.C., 2007.xxv+ 398 pp. Glossary. Index. $30.00. ProfessorMenshikovis theauthorofa seriesofilluminating studiesofthe Americanand Sovieteconomiesand of Russia'spost-Soviet transition. His clearand succinct analysisofthenew Russiancapitalism, first publishedin Russianin 2004(Anatomiia rossiiskogo kapitalizma, Moscow)has nowbeenmade availablein an excellent Englishtranslation. The authorarguesthatthecapitalist economyas ithas emerged in Russia is ofa highly specific typeand functions in accordancewithitsown logic. Ownershipand controlare highlyconcentrated in the hands of a few oligarchs who are accustomed to extremely highratesofprofit, thereby distorting thestructure ofnationalincomeand constricting domesticdemand. These macroeconomicdisproportions, togetherwith otherfactors, block 'normal'economicgrowthbased on mass production.There is excessive dependenceon the extractionand exportof raw materials.Bankingis underdeveloped. Close intertwining of oligarchy and government impedes bothmarket competition and disinterested economicregulation. Even thosewho may disagreewiththe author'sapproachto policywill surely findhisbookvaluableas a conveniently organizedsourceofinformationand summary statistics. His survey encompasses theprincipal industrial 392 SEER, 87, 2, APRIL 2OO9 sectorsas well as banking, themajorprivateand statecorporations, small businessand itsprospects, and theshadoweconomy,organizedcrimeand corruption. He also identifies thewealthiest individuals and the mostprominentmanagersand discussestherelations betweenthesetwoelites- a question thathasalwaysbeenofspecialinterest tohim.IfI maybe permitted one complaint, itis thathe paysno attention whatsoever to agriculture. Menshikov concludeswitha seriesofpolicyrecommendations formoving towarda morebalancedand competitive economicstructure. He does not explain,however, whatmight inducethegovernment to takedecisiveaction againsttheinterests oftheoligarchy withwhichit is so closelyintertwined. That,ofcourse,is a matter ofpolitics rather thaneconomics. It is mostunfortunate thatthisimportant study shouldhavebeenbrought outnotby a reputable academicpublishing housebutby an affiliate ofthe grouprunbyLyndonH. LaRouche (see,forexample,). Not onlyis thebook saddled witha prefacein whichLaRouche expoundshis own confusedeconomic theories,but in his introduction to the EnglisheditionMenshikovpays obeisanceto LaRouche,whose'inspiring ideas' allegedly 'servedas methodological pointsof departureforwriting thisbook'. Notwithstanding this highly implausible assertion, itshouldbe emphasizedthatthemaintexthas notbeentampered with.Itwillbe a greatpityifthestudy failstoreceivethe seriousattention itdeserves solelyas a result oftheauthor'sunwisedecision to getmixedup withLaRouche. Providence, RI StephenD. Shenfield Koltsova,Olessia.NewsMediaandPower inRussia. BASEES/RoutledgeSeries on Russian and East European Studies,24. Routledge,London and New York,2006. xiv + 271pp. Tables. Appendices.Glossary.Notes. Bibliography. Index.£75.00. This book offers a comprehensive account of the rise and development of media systems in theRussianFederation, coveringtheperiodfromthe emergence oftheearlyindependent mediainthemid-1980s totheconsolidationoftheFederalStatefrom theyear2000 onwards. Koltsova'ssociological methodology deploysthe schematics of the complexrelationship between power,violenceand affected interest groupsset againstthe peculiarities of Russian politicsand societyto introduceand defendthe innovative terminology ofherstudy. Consisting ofthirteen chapters organizedin threeparts,thebook begins withan extensive theoretical introduction followed bya brief historical insight intotheSovietmediasystem. The section pinpoints commonWestern perceptionsoftheRussianmedia ,identifies commonclichésand summarizes key research byacademicson thegeneralunderstanding ofpowerin thecontext ofthebook'stitle, witha focuson theworkofMichelFoucault.A classificationofthemain agentsparticipating in thestudyis also given,alongwith an explanation of thephenomenon of 'cross-institutional groups'which,in ...