The Individual View on the Complexities of the National Economy Modernization (Reflections on the Book by G. I. Khanin)

Abstract

The paper is based on reflections on the key aspects of the Russian national economic history through the lens of judgments and assessments proposed in the fundamental and specific 3-volume work by G. I. Khanin. The paper stresses such strong points of this research as its fundamental and encyclopedically wide coverage, broad informational base of sources, academic ‘bona fide’ and critical approach to reliability of various indicators of the Soviet and post-Soviet statistics. Especially highlighted is the author’s proficiency in the author’s analysis of various branches and sectors of the national economy. At the same time, the two principal judgments by G. I. Khanin are criticized as subjects to doubt and possible revision: as regards to high efficiency of the centrally planned economy and historical failure of its market–oriented transformation. Alongside with specific historical aspects highlighted in the work by G. I. Khanin, the paper discusses a set of methodological issues: on feasibility of choice of alternatives in historical development, challenges to modernization and the power of path dependence, criteria of efficiency of socio-economic transformations, influence of ideologies on elaboration and implementation of economic policy.

Keywords

• national economy
• institutions
• modernization
• centralized economy
• economic reforms
• market economy
• macroeconomic statistics
• economic thought