• L. Grigoriev, M. Ovchinnikov — Corruption as Impediment for Country’s Modernization (Institutional Approach)
• E. Gontmakher, T. Maleva — Russia’s Social Problems and Alternative Ways of Their Solving
• S. Plaksin, A. Zhoulin — How to Modernize State Machinery: Administrative Reform and Reform of Public Service
• L. Grigoriev, N. Zubarevich, Yu. Urozhaeva — Scylla and Charibdis of Regional Policy

• J. Kornai — What Does "Change of System" Mean?
• V. Ivanchenko — To New Social Imperatives of Russia
• D. Petrosyan, N. Fatkina — Ethical Principles in Russia’s Social and Economic Policy

• P. Klyukin — Towards the G. von Charasoff’s Legacy as a Crucial Point in Evolution of Russian Tradition Based on the Circular Flow Concept
• S. Belozyorov — In the Beginning of Russian Economic Science: Ivan Yakovlevich Gorlov

Abstracts

Economic growth and investment boom should not shadow the lack of institutional reforms, emerging fiscal populism as well as inefficiency of law enforcement system. The important forthcoming problem is the possibility of macroeconomic destabilization as a result of global depression. The current Russian economic policy is concentrated on stimulating economic growth (at any price) while it should now pay more attention to anti-cyclical measures. Another challenge for stability will come from inflation.

The article presents a macroeconomic analysis of causes and factors of the boom in foreign financing of the Russian economy in 2006—2007. The impact of international credit crisis of the second half of 2007 on the Russian economy is analyzed. It is shown that the present levels of foreign state debt of non-financial corporations and banks is not critical, but the importance of permanent monitoring of risks of foreign financing is emphasized.

The article considers the problem of corruption as impediment for country’s modernization. Using neoinstitutional approach, the authors offer the classification of corruption in the context of private and political markets for institutions, relevant social groups and economic effects. According to the given classification they analyze the dynamics of corruption constituents depending on Russia’s development strategies and reveal the incentives of main social groups to fight corruption.

It is noted in the article that various socio-cultural communities have recently been formed in Russia. The creation of their common way of life is possible only on the base of social policy which realizes in practice the most popular values: justice, care toward socially vulnerable groups, decent payment for decent labor and family. The main principles of such social policy are proposed which in turn is possible only as a part of the modernization scenario of Russia’s development.

The article contains an analytical survey of key reforms in public administration in Russia: administrative reform and reform of public service. All reform tools are analyzed from the point of view of "technological" approach, encouragement of public institutions development and traditional for Russia way of control of heads and authorities of executive bodies. Perspectives and success of reforms are examined through four strategies: "Inertia", "Mobilization", "Rentier" and "Modernization".

The article considers the key dilemma of regional economic policy — leveling versus development. The policy decisions should be undertaken under conditions of weak and imbalanced institutional infrastructure; the lack of sound institutions of development mounts the problem. The paper highlights the modern trends of regional policy, potentials and risks of different possibilities are placed in a special focus.

The article proposes an approach to the analysis of social change and contributes to the clarification of concepts of economic policy. It deals in particular with the notion of "change of system". The author considers positive and normative aspects of the analysis of capitalist and socialist systems. The necessary and sufficient conditions for the system to be changed are introduced, their fulfillment is discussed drawing upon the historical and statistical data. The article describes both economic and political peculiarities of the transitional period in different countries, especially in Eastern Europe.

The author puts forward the issue of the criterion of socially structured society, qualitative changes in the spheres and forms of human life provision. The country’s modernization should be based on social dominant of economic development and innovation reproduction.

The role and place of the ethical approach in Russia’s social and economic policy are shown; ethical aspects of economic policy are considered; basic ethical principles which should be taken into account in the process of development of social and economic policy are offered. Ethical requirements to such basic directions of state economic policy as fiscal and price policy, labor policy, social policy, institutional policy, etc. are described.

For the first time in Russian non-translated economic literature the legacy of G. von Charasoff as an economist and mathematician is introduced and investigated. The task to evaluate Charasoff’s contribution to Quesnay—Marx theory based on the circular flow principle is posed. An attempt is made to resolve it by considering Charasoff’s views in the context of evolution of Russian scientific investigations of Marx’s "Capital" during 1890—1910. It is shown that Charasoff’s reasoning and analytical tools represent a crucial point (or closing stage) of Russian analytical tradition which includes the theories of Tugan-Baranowsky, Dmitriev, Shaposhnikov and Bortkiewicz.

The article discusses the biography and also brief results of the analysis of theoretical legacy of the well-known Russian scientist, economist, professor of the Imperial St.-Petersburg University I. Ya. Gorlov (1814—1890). Gorlov was the author of the first Russian textbook in the theory of finance. He also wrote a series of interesting papers on political economy as well as on some applied economic problems.