Reply To: Russian Tensions
Interesting BBC article on the declining fortunes of Ukraine’s oligarchs (the same might be said of Russia’s oligarchs) as a result of the capitalist war. Particularly interesting is the relationship between the central state and the oligarchs.
https://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-64075087
The article contends that “The war has only intensified the loss of earnings for Ukraine’s super-rich. But will their demise strengthen Ukraine’s democracy?” Of course, as with Russia, Ukraine hardly qualifies as a democracy – more an autocracy – but the idea that the oligarchs or super-rich are facing their demise (particularly in a country as corrupt as Ukraine which shares with Russia the dubious honour of being one of the most corrupt countries in the world) is utter nonsense. Some of these superrich have simply gone into exile and will no doubt return once the war is over. Zelensky himself has made quite a fortune. Capitalism inevitably produces an oligarchic or superrich capitalist class
This part is particularly of interest:
“The next blow came in late 2021, when Ukraine passed what was known as the “de-oligarchisation bill”.
President Zelensky’s new law defined an oligarch as someone who met three of the following four conditions:
Holding influence over the media or politics
Owning a monopoly
Making millions of dollars a year.
All those who qualified were exposed to extra checks and banned from funding political parties.”