Citation

Bougrov E. Def. Peace Econ. 1994; 5(2): 153-166.

Copyright

(Copyright © 1994, Informa - Taylor and Francis Group)

DOI

10.1080/10430719408404787

PMID

unavailable

Abstract

The scale, pace, methods and other specifics of conversion differ from country to country, requiring national case studies to promote exchange of knowledge and experience as well as to facilitate practical international co-operation in this field. The conversion in Russia is a very particular case because its demilitarization is taking place at the same time with the transition from a centrally planned to a market economy. There is no way to separate the two processes. A radical shift to market relations becomes difficult, if not to say impossible, without imposing such relations on the huge military-industrial complex. Forming of stock companies and privatization in the military-industrial sector of the economy open the way for economically efficient conversion using released resources to meet urgent civilian needs. The recent history of conversion in the ex-USSR and Russia has been a dramatic mix of failures and hopes. The article shows the contradictions of the Russian conversion developments, analyzes lack of success at the first conversion stage (1989-1991) and expectations of changes to the better at the second conversion stage (1992-1995).