• A. Buzgalin, A. Kolganov - Do We Need Liberal Marxism? (on the Article by E. Gaidar and V. Mau «Marxism: Between the Scientific Theory and "Secular Religion"»)

     Having analyzed the present state of the Russian economy the authors come to the conclusion that the only reasonable goal of its modernization is achieving high competitive capacity of production. External and internal competitive capacity is analysed in detail basing on broad statistics as well as competitive capacity of institutions and their changes, the adaptive model of transition economy. According to the authors implementation of competitive capacity policy as a national idea should take into account long-term perspective.

     Growth factors and the causes of disparities between the potential and actual growth rates are considered in the article. Issues pertaining to the interaction between the structure and functioning of market economy institutions as well as the policy followed within their framework with an accent on the experience of the transition economies are analyzed. The necessity of learning in the process of mastering new institutions is stressed. Special attention is paid to the analysis of gray sector in politics. Requirements to effective economic policy accounting for consequences for long-term production dynamics are formulated.

     Federal tax revenues from the main sectors of the Russian economy after the 1998 crisis are examined in the article. Authors present the structure of revenues from these sectors by main taxes for 1999-2003 and prospects for 2004. Emphasis is given to an increasing dependence of budget on revenues from oil and gas industries. The share of proceeds from these sectors has reached 1/3 of total federal revenues. To explain this fact world oil prices dynamics and changes in tax legislation in Russia are considered. Empirical results show strong dependence of budget revenues on oil prices. The analysis of changes in tax legislation in oil and gas industry shows that the government has managed to redistribute resource rent in favor of the state.

     The main principles of state regulation of the oil and gas industry in the countries - leading world oil manufacturers and exporters are considered in the article. The system of state regulation in the oil sector of the Russian economy is studied. Special attention is given to the problems of taxation and usage of the bowels of the Earth. It is shown that the present system of state regulation meets neither interests of the state, nor interests of society and business. Some measures helping to increase the efficiency of state regulation in Russia's oil industry are offered.

     The article focuses on the development of major sectors of the Russian economy - non-financial corporations, households, general government sector - after the 1998 financial crisis. Serious problems in functioning of the non-financial enterprises sector limiting the economic growth potential are revealed. Disbalances in financial flows among major sectors of the Russian economy are pointed out. The analysis of the changing role of the general government sector in the economy in 1999-2003 is provided. The conclusion on the necessity of changing the state economic policies to promote economic development is drawn.

     On the basis of the existing statistics the analysis of state of the art of such NIS' blocks as knowledge production, entrepreneur's environment is given. Modern mechanisms of interaction of these blocks are investigated. They are cooperative processes and processes of knowledge and technology diffusion. Major directions of the state policy are offered basing on the results of the analysis. They are aimed at constructing the modern innovation system in Russia.

     The article is devoted to investigation of the contents of financial stability of the Pension Fund of Russia (PFR). From the position of the theory of systems the concept and attributes of financial stability of the economic subject are revealed. Two components of financial stability of PFR as a specific economic subject are considered: financial stability of the pension fund and financial management of the managing structure. The article contains the analysis of incomes and expenditures of the pension fund as a part of the Russian financial system, attributes of its financial stability are revealed and its definition is given. The analysis of the legal status of PFR is carried out and the expediency of ascribing to it the status of state institution is grounded. Classifications of financial resources and obligations of PFR are suggested and the definition of its financial stability is formulated.

     Private pension funds in Russia have been growing in number dramatically over the past few years. The increasing importance of private pension funds as holders of financial assets means that their impact on the functioning of financial markets is steadily growing. The article discusses the range of factors that can stimulate further development of the pension system reform - principles of private professional pensions' regulation as well as the structure and mechanisms of pension funds' management.

     The authors criticize the main idea of the paper by E. Gaydar and V. Mau (VE, 2004, No 5, 6) concerning the possibility of partial utilization of Marxian ideas in the framework of the liberal doctrine and formation of "liberal Marxism". The thesis that the revolutionary conclusions of Marxism are directly connected with its theoretical foundations is argued in the article. The necessity to correct some initial Marxian concepts caused by changing facts of real life doesn't lead to the negation of his fundamental ideas. On the contrary such corrections form the possibility to underpin the theoretical grounding under the revolutionary potential produced by contradictions of modern capitalism entering the epoque of the post-industrial society and globalization.