The Ascent of Business Associations in Russia: From Capture to Partnership?

Abstract

In the exit from state socialism across the former Soviet Union, the emergence of, participation rates in, and the influence of business associations varies considerably. Perhaps nowhere have these patterns been of more concern for progressive collective action and policy formation than in Russia. While there are conflicting views on whether Russian business associations have captured the state (Hellman et al. 2000) or vice versa (Hanson and Teague 2005), there is little dispute that public welfare has borne the cost of state-business interaction (Hoffman 2003). This prevailing view is consistent with Olson’s (1982) thesis that when business associations emerge, they tend to advance their interests (Pyle 2006; Recanatini and Ryterman 2001) to the neglect or detriment of the public’s.