Making Money in Moscow

For the better part of seven decades, the Americans kept hammering at the Russians that the "hammer and sickle" was a failure, not just for its lack of freedom, but also for its economic inefficiency. So, a quarter of a century ago, the Russians decided to ditch communism and take up capitalism, to make some serious money. Having lost the Space Race and the Cold War, the Russians came back with a vengeance, excelling at playing Monopoly, the rich man's game.

So much so, that, after just 25 years, 110 people own 35% of Russia's total wealth, a figure unparalleled in the world. One that, surely, will make Americans proud -- and envious -- of their pupils.

That's freedom for you!

Comments

  1. Roberto Ariel FernándezOctober 21, 2013 at 11:08 AM

    Who are those 110 guys? I presume that many, if not most, of those 110 were "well connected" in the now defunct communist regime since before the fall of the USSR . It would be interesting to see if my hypothesis is validated by the facts.

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