How Serfdom Hardwired Extractive Institutions into the Russian Economy

Serfdom's Lasting Grip: How Russia's Past Shaped its Economy

Just think: vast, sprawling estates under an unforgiving sun, the rhythmic toil of peasants bound to the land not by choice, but by birthright. This was the reality for millions in Russia for centuries, a system known as serfdom, and its shadow stretches deep into the very fabric of Russia’s economic and institutional DNA. For … Read more