• A. Ulyukaev, S. Drobyshevsky, P. Trunin — Prospects of the Initiation of Inflation Targeting in RF

• L. Grigoriev, V. Tambovtsev — Modernization through Coalitions
• A. Shastitko, S. Afontsev, S. Plaksin — Structural Alternatives of Russia’s Social and Economic Development
• V. Tambovtsev, A. Verveda — Subjects of Modernization: The Influence of Interests Groups on Development Strategies
• A. Auzan, A. Zolotov — Coalition for Modernization: Possibility of Genesis

• А. Ovcharov — Travel & Tourism Industry in Russia: Tendencies and Risks

• N. Shapiro — J. M. Keynes as the Last Economist of Mainstream and a Precursor of Theoretical and Methodological Pluralism

• A. Moskovsky — The Essence of Discussions on Present Changes in Economic Science (On the Book "Sources: From the Experience of Studying Economy as a Structure and Process")
• A. Suetin — Asian Godfathers (On the Book by J. Studwell "Asian Godfathers. Money and Power in Hong Kong and South-East Asia")

• I. Petrenko — Indicative System of General Security of Operating Subject
• V. Chekhovsky — On the Translation of Marx' "Wert" in Russian

Abstracts

The paper outlines the basics of the mechanism design theory and describes the defining contribution of Leo Hurwiсz, Eric Maskin, and Roger Myerson, the Nobel prize winners in economics in 2007. It starts by introducing the concepts of economic mechanism, incentive compatibility, and implementation, and provides a non-technical description of main results. Then it explains the relationship between theoretical foundations and real-world market mechanisms such as auctions. Finally, recent applications of the mechanism design theory to institutional analysis are discussed.

The paper surveys the main directions of political-economic research, i.e. variants of economic and political approaches endogenizing political processes in economic models and applying economic methods to policy studies. It analyses different versions of political-economic research in different segments of scientific community: political economics, evolutionary theory of economic policy, international political economy, formal political science and theory of economic power; main methodological assumptions, content and results of positive studies are described. The author also considers the role of political-economic approach in the normative research in economics.

Bank of Russia officials have recently declared the possibility of switching to the inflation targeting regime in the medium run. The article considers benefits and shortcomings of monetary policy regime as well as the economic performance of the inflation targeting countries. The authors conclude that Russia now starts meeting conditions crucial for the success of inflation targeting. In such circumstances Russian monetary authorities have an opportunity to weaken the exchange rate goal in favor of the inflation goal.

The paper cosiders the strategy of Russian society, government, and economy modernization, aimed at transformation of the state into one of the world intellectual and cultural leaders. The reasons of past modernization attempts failures are shortly analyzed. General restrictions of any development strategy as a requirement of preserving some critical parameters are described. The goals and restrictions of Russia’s modernization conditioned by the current state of its socio-economic system are detailed.

The article contains a general comparative study of four strategies of social and economic development: "Inertia", "Renter", "Mobilization", and "Modernization". The context for comparison is explanation of correlation between adaptive features of Russia’s contemporary economic system and particularities of the mentioned strategies with corresponding ways of managing economic development problems. The comparison is based on description of strategies essence, ways and tools to achieve results. Perspectives of achieving strategic purposes as well as expected results of implementation of each strategy are shown. Special comparative study of four strategies on the base of development of competitive markets as one of strategic aims of the Russian government is presented.

Different types of interests groups which are analyzed in economics and sociology are characterized: analytical, statistical and real ones. The operational attributes of these types of groups are cosidered. The estimations for some "statistical" groups of the Russian society from the point of view of their bargaining power and capabilities to create coalitions are presented. The examples of coalitions connected with some possible reforms are given.

Different ways of genesis of broad coalitions for modernization are considered in the article. The authors apply three-level approach to deal with interests groups: analytical (most aggregate), statistical and real, and examine the possibility of the coalition for modernization at the level of analytical ones. On the basis of the conducted research suggestions are made about further studies of the said coalition genesis opportunities and means of increasing its stability.

The article examines theoretical aspects of tourist risks. The author analyzes the stages of development of Russia’s travel & tourism industry in the context of influence of external and internal risk factors. Data of federal state statistics bodies and international tourist organizations is generalized. On this base tendencies of development of the travel & tourism industry are revealed and directions of the state policy in the field of internal tourism are considered.

The article shows the methodological ambiguity of Keynes’ ideas. The simplified treatment of his views on the part of his followers is criticized. The author shows the difference between Keynes’ methodological disputes with classics and his debate with mathematical economists and econometricians, in particular with J. Tinbergen. It is shown that methodological discussions of 1930—1940 are actual for the assessment of the current state of economic science in Russia.