The Conundrum Of Russian Capitalism: The Post-s... Apr 2026

: Global trends toward the "financialization" of capitalism—where profit is sought through financial markets rather than production—reinforce the Russian tendency toward short-termism and "accumulation by dispossession".

: Rather than seeking profit through innovation or market competition, Russian capitalists focus on "insider rent"—extracting wealth from the firms they control through opaque schemes. The Conundrum of Russian Capitalism: The Post-S...

The "conundrum" refers to the paradoxical behavior of Russian business owners who systematically favor inferior, short-term gains over long-term, capacity-generating investments. : Russia's role is largely defined as a

: Russia's role is largely defined as a provider of cheap raw materials, particularly hydrocarbons. short-term gains over long-term

: Instead of developing new technologies, Russian firms often rely on second-hand Western equipment.

: Business strategies are primarily designed to protect capital from takeovers by rivals or to seize rivals' assets in a corrupt and unstable environment. Relationship to the Global World-System

Dzarasov places Russia within the "periphery" or "semi-periphery" of the global capitalist world-system.