Beyond Backwardness. Russian Economy in Global Historical Perspective (1750-1914)

On November 17, 2015, the Jordan Center for the Advanced Study of Russia at NYU welcomed Alessandro Stanziani (École des hautes études en sciences sociales) for a discussion entitled "Beyond Backwardness. Russian Economy in Global Historical Perspective (1750-1914)." Economic backwardness, Asiatic despotism, and orientalism have strongly influenced our perceptions of modernization, democracy, and economic growth over the last three centuries. This lecture provides an iconoclastic view of Russian and Eurasian history into a global perspective. While there never was a central institutionalization of “serfdom” in Russia, there were local forms of bondage, which was vital to Russian economic growth. This conclusion implies that there is no evidence that Russian and Eastern European serfdom constituted the quasi-periphery of Europe. If this is so, then the history of global capitalism needs to be re-assessed. Contrary to commonly held views, this lecture argues that political rights and a free market are not guaranteed or a necessary condition for markets to function. The examples of nineteenth-century Russia and modern-day China testify to this fact. Revisiting the history of Russia and Eurasia, it is evident that economic growth and markets are perfectly capable of operating without democracy or equal social rights. It is time for us to reconsider the aims and goals of economic growth.