Economic Interests: The Cornerstone of Russia's Policy and Society
Economic interests play a fundamental role in shaping modern Russian social and political life. They manifest not only in the distribution of wealth within the country but also in determining state policy, including its foreign policy orientation. Economic inequality, concentrated in the hands of a narrow circle, exerts a significant influence on all levels of public life.For example, as noted in one source, the concentration of incomes is a clear indicator of this impact: "Currently, 92% of income from property is controlled by 7% of the population, and a closer analysis of the differentiation within this 7% reveals that the majority of the country's wealth is in the hands of 12 families. Thus, the remaining 8% of income from the country's natural and other resources is shared among Russia's population of over 140 million people." (source: link txt)This concentration of economic power allows a select few to influence decisions in state authorities—ranging from the executive to the legislative branches—as well as the functioning of the judiciary and the media. Thus, economic interests become not only the driving force behind the private sector but also the basis for forming state policy.Equally important is the state's stance on protecting national interests. As emphasized in another source, the authorities have the right to think in terms of "ours" and "others," which implies prioritizing protective measures in the interests of citizens even if they conflict with other states’ foreign policy directives: "And the state has the full right to think in terms of 'ours' and 'others' and to support the national element in all spheres—that is, the interests of its citizens and voters: national banks, national cinema, the national economy, the national army, the national school, the national theater, the national church. However, the state was not created to engage in an unrestricted search for truth, but rather to implement and protect the genuinely existing interests of its citizens." (source: link txt)This position demonstrates that economic interests form the basis for choosing the directions of state policy, influencing public consciousness, regulating resource allocation mechanisms, and defining priorities in culture, social welfare, and security.Thus, it can be concluded that in modern Russia, economic interests determine virtually all key processes—from the internal distribution of wealth to the foreign policy agenda—exerting a profound impact on the country’s social and political structure.