Under the state-monopoly capitalism is understood as a set of measures taken by the state, which are aimed at accelerating economic development in certain periods. Its essence is determined by the class state of the state, the historical situation, as well as the specifics of the economy. It is different in such periods as: pre-monopoly, the establishment of the dictatorship of the proletariat, the conquest of political independence by developing countries.
Defining state capitalism
This is a multi-valued political and economic term that includes the following definitions:
- A social system in which the apparatus of government acts as capitalists. This interpretation formed a direction in political and economic thought, which believed that since the 1930s. in the economy of the USSRjust such a model. This trend in the theory of state capitalism was most consistently substantiated by Tony Cliff. He wrote in 1947 that there is a possibility of such a model, when the state administrative apparatus acts as a capitalist. At the same time, the highest nomenclature - state and party - represented by major government officials, directors and administration of enterprises appropriates surplus value.
- One of the models of capitalism, which is characterized by the fusion of capital with the state, the desire of the authorities to control large private business. This understanding is associated with etatism. This is an ideology that affirms the leading role of the state in all spheres - political, economic and private.
- There is a concept close to state capitalism, but different from it. In Marxist-Leninist theory there is a distinction between state-monopoly capitalism. This is a kind of monopoly capitalism, characterized by the combination of the power of the state with the resources of monopolies.
The essence of the concept
It consists in the participation of the state in capitalist forms of management and is determined by factors such as:
- The class nature of the state.
- Specific historical setting.
- The specifics of the country's economy.
One of the main elements of state capitalism operating in bourgeois society is state capitalist property. It arises during the period of pre-monopoly capitalism as a result of the creation of new enterprises at the expense ofstate budget. First of all, this concerns the military industries.
The expansion of state property under capitalism occurs through the nationalization of certain industries and entire industries. For the most part, these are unprofitable species. Thus, the state respects the interests of the capitalists.
There is also mixed ownership - these are the so-called mixed companies formed through the acquisition by the state of shares of private companies, investments of state funds in private enterprises. The nature of state-monopoly state capitalism is acquired, as a rule, in imperialist countries.
Restructuring tool
Those states that achieve independence as a result of the fall of the colonial imperialist system have their own characteristics. In these countries, state capitalism is an important means of introducing the state factor into the economy. It is used as a tool for restructuring the economic structure that developed during colonial or semi-colonial dependence.
Provided that democratic elements with a progressive orientation are at the head of the state, the type of capitalism in question is a means of combating the dominance of foreign capital, promoting the strengthening and further development of the national economy.
State-monopoly capitalism
It has a fundamental difference from the type of political and economic relations we are studying. If the GC arises in the early stages, then the MMC is the final stage of the capitalistdevelopment.
The first is based on the lack of accumulated capital, while the second is characterized by its huge accumulation, as well as the dominance of monopolies, concentration of production, lack of free competition.
In the first, the main thing is state property, and in the second, the merging of the state with private monopolies. The social function of state capitalism consists in pushing forward bourgeois development. Whereas the mining and metallurgical complex is called upon to preserve overripe capitalism in the conditions of a general crisis at all costs.
Socialism and state capitalism
The social system we are studying can also exist in transitional periods. So it was during the transition from socialism to capitalism. But this was a special form of subjugation to the dictatorship of the proletariat of enterprises owned by the bourgeoisie, designed to prepare the conditions for the socialization of production on a socialist basis.
The way to transform private enterprises into socialist ones through state capitalism lay through:
- Purchase of products by the state at fixed prices.
- Conclusion of contracts for the processing of raw materials provided by government agencies to capitalist enterprises.
- Full redemption by the state of products.
- Establish mixed public-private enterprises.
In mixed enterprises, virtually all means of production are transferred into the hands of the state. For a certain period of time, the former capitalists are paid some sharesurplus product. It has the form of a percentage calculated from the appraised value of the property that has become public.
In the Soviet Union
State capitalism in the USSR during the transition period was small. Its main forms were the lease of state-owned enterprises by the capitalists and the issuance of concessions. Its peculiarity was that state capitalist enterprises were at the same time public property.
While tenants and concessionaires owned only working capital - cash, finished products. And fixed assets, which included, for example, land, buildings, equipment, could neither be sold nor transferred to other persons by the capitalist. At the same time, financial authorities could not collect debts at the expense of fixed assets.
Class struggle
Relations between workers and capitalists remained relations of wage labor and capital. The labor force remained a commodity, but the antagonism of class interests persisted. However, these relations were controlled and regulated by the proletarian state. This influenced the change in the conditions of the class struggle in favor of the workers.
State capitalism in the USSR did not become widespread due to the rapid growth of large-scale socialist industry. Another reason was the active resistance of the bourgeoisie to the attempts of the Soviet state to use it for socialist transformations. This is why the forced expropriation took place.
Other forms of transformations
As a means of transforming bourgeois property into socialiststate capitalism in the transition period was used in some socialist countries. It was most pronounced in such countries as the GDR, Korea, Vietnam.
The peculiarity of the development of state capitalism in them was that they did not have to resort to the services of foreign capital. Such an opportunity followed from the provision of comprehensive assistance from the USSR. The main form of SC here was mixed public-private enterprises with the participation of private national and state capital.
Before the formation of such enterprises, there were less developed enterprises. Their commercial or industrial activities were under the direct control of the proletarian state. Gradually, the transformation of mixed enterprises into socialist ones took place.
V. I. Lenina
In his opinion, when socialism has not yet fully established itself during the transition period, state capitalism can play an important role in transforming the economy into a socialist one. Being a special way, it is a more progressive form of economy in comparison with such as private capitalism, small-scale and subsistence production.
It facilitates the country's transition to socialism, as it makes it possible to maintain or create large-scale machine production, use the funds, knowledge, experience and organizational abilities of the bourgeoisie in the interests of the proletariat. Next, consider the forms of state capitalism in modern Russia.
In the dashing 90s
State-oligarchic capitalism - this is how the form of government that developed in the 90s of the last century in our country was conventionally called. At that time, the dominant positions in the economy passed into the hands of a narrow group of entrepreneurs who were closely associated with officials. This coalescence is called an oligarchy.
Following the results of perestroika in conditions of high inflation and privatization, the nomenklatura had all the advantages in obtaining the former economic objects of the state into ownership. In the process of "shock therapy" entrepreneurs tried to organize their business.
However, there were many obstacles to doing business within the law. For example, such as: high taxes, inflation, contradictions in laws, their rapid change. This led to the growth of the so-called shadow capital, and then to its merging with corrupt officials.
It covered up violations of the law with impunity, using its official position to create its own financial structures and privatize in its favor. Another force that took part in the formation of the described form of state capitalism in Russia was transnational, and primarily Western capital.
Process Development
During the most intense competition, which was accompanied by rivalry for political influence, there was a separation of several oligarchic groups with a financial and industrial direction. They were the tightestconnected in a way with groups of influential officials and transnational structures.
As a result, these formations have established control over the most important economic segments in Russia. The redistribution of influence took place when V. V. Putin, who led the fight against the oligarchic elite. As a result, the role of officials in the management of the economy has increased and the position of influence of businessmen on officials has worsened.
Today
At the end of the crisis period of 2008-2009, the role of large state corporations has increased in the economies of many countries. This fully applies to our country. The leading role in our economy is assigned to such structures as Rosneft, Gazprom, VTB, Sberbank, Rostelecom and others. This form of management gravitates toward state-corporate capitalism.
At the same time, there is a clear trend towards the strengthening of the public sector in the economy. It also tightens control over the entire economy through the consolidation of state economic structures. This, in turn, has a negative impact on private sector profits.
In Russia, as in some other developing countries, many private companies are dependent on state patronage. This is expressed in the issuance of loans, subsidies, signing contracts. In such companies, the state sees a means of conducting a competitive struggle with commercial foreign rivals. It allows them to play a dominant role both in the domestic economy andand export markets.
The duty to finance such companies lies partly with sovereign we alth funds. These are public investment funds whose portfolios include:
- Foreign currencies.
- Government bonds.
- Property.
- Precious metals.
- Shares in the authorized capital of domestic and foreign firms.
Today, state capitalism finds expression in the fact that it is no longer private shareholders, but governments that own the world's largest oil companies. They control 75% of the world's energy resources. The world's 13 largest oil companies are owned or controlled by governments.
Social aspect
In conclusion, let's look at three types of socially oriented models of the economy of state capitalism.
The first model is used in the USA. It is based on market self-regulation of the economy, which has a low share of state property and insignificant direct state intervention in production processes. Main advantages: flexibility of the economic mechanism, oriented to changing market conditions; high activity of entrepreneurs, focus on innovation, associated with great opportunities for profitable investment of capital
- The second model is Japanese. It is characterized by: effective and clear interaction between the state, labor and capital (government, industrialists, financiers and trade unions) inthe interests of advancing towards national goals; collectivist and paternalistic spirit in production; lifetime employment system, strong emphasis on the human factor.
- The third model. Created in France and Germany after World War II. It is distinguished from the rest by such parameters as: a mixed economy, where the share of state property is large; implementation of macroeconomic regulation by means of not only fiscal and monetary policy, but also structural, investment, labor policies (employment regulation policy); a high share of the state budget in GDP - the so-called welfare state; promoting the development of small and medium-sized businesses; development of a system of social support for people at significant cost to the state; the functioning of the institution of democracy in production.
