Reversal of Roles
Determinants of the Economic Paths of Russia and China
Deutsche Fassung
Abstract
China is a giant, Russia a dwarf by comparison. This is true economically, demographically and now militarily as well. In just a few decades, the ratios between the two states have been reversed. As recently as the 1950s, the Soviet Union played a significant role in the economic development of the nascent People’s Republic of China. Several failed attempts at reform have turned Russia into an autocratic commodity state with institutions antithetical to liberal economics. The invasion of Ukraine has deprived Russia of almost all development potential. China, on the other hand, has been able to exploit its potential since Deng Xiaoping’s reforms and the opening of the country in the 1970s. The renewed intensification of authoritarian rule and the aggressive foreign policy under Xi Jinping are endangering Chinese successes. But China still has the potential to become the world's largest economy and to challenge the United States.
(Osteuropa 7-9/2023, pp. 75–90)