‘Specter of Socialism’ Haunting Russia, SerpomPo Says. It’s Called Putinomics

Paul Goble

            Staunton, Dec. 10 – Thirty years after state planning of the economy led to the collapse of the USSR, leaders in the Kremlin are again talking about the use of planning to over various economic problems, an indication, the SerpomPo telegram channel says, that “they have forgotten nothing and learned nothing” (t.me/SerpomPo/11572).

            A clear indication of what is on the minds of Russia’s rulers in this regard, the channel says, is a report prepared by the Central Bank concerning when, once price regulation is introduced, it will be necessary to lift it before it has effects in the future like those in the past (cbr.ru/Content/Document/File/131342/analytic_note_20211209_dip.pdf).

            “Don’t you find it surprising that after 30 years of a market economy in the country, the state organs are still facing the dilemmas” of price controls and want guidance on how to impose them? “Are we turning back to socialism? Didn’t we develop immunity to it? And are we boldly going to march into the potholes” that destroyed the country before?

            The Putin regime has no idea how to control inflation by other means and so is turning back to its old playbook, SerpomPo says. “The specter of socialism has returned to Russia. This is what Putinomics” is.”