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OLIGARCHY'S "GOLDEN" POSITION
HAKOB BADALYAN
Story from Lragir.am News:
http://www.lragir.am/engsrc/comments26978.html
Published: 13:06:37 - 27/07/2012
We hear on different occasions that major businessmen or oligarchs
of Armenia are the victims of the current system and they would love
to work in a legal atmosphere if the central government did not force
them to operate informally.
Such opinions are partly true. They are true because the oligarchs
would really love to work in a legal field but they are held back by
the circumstance that the "favorites" will keep away from that field
and the opportunities will be unequal.
Otherwise, the oligarchy has accumulated so many billions and
infrastructures that the legal field is not a threat to them. The
oligarchy is a threat to itself in the sense of partial legalization.
The oligarchy has so much capital and infrastructures that one will
need billions to be able to compete with them. Who will bring those
billions to Armenia if not the oligarchy?
Consequently, the issue is not legalization of the activities of
the oligarchy. This is only a formal solution which will not bring
about any change. This step will just legitimize the oligarchic
economic-political system, the effectiveness of which will remain
the same.
The issue in Armenia is redistribution of positions and resources of
the oligarchy. This redistribution is inevitable if the country is
committed to change, establishment of an atmosphere of creativity.
The oligarchy has in its hands a large part of resources, and this
share cannot be used effectively for the public and the state,
especially with the small scales of the economy of Armenia.
To ensure the effectiveness of this share it is necessary to
return it from the oligarchy to the small and midsize businesses
in an anti-monopoly and anti-oligarchy policy. In other words, the
anti-monopoly and anti-oligarchy policy should focus on the tough
policy of decentralization of resources and then should prevent the
creation of new monopolies and oligopolies.
Here is the axis of the issue and this is the reason why the oligarchic
system, despite its huge advantage, does not want to operate in law. In
fact, the political government prohibits this which is coalesced with
the oligarchy. Perhaps, it does not allow but with the same concern
that interests match here and they thus find a temporary solution.
Decentralization of resources is a vital need. The oligarchic system
can protect its resources only in the legal field since this system
stops being vital in terms of protection of its political and social
interests.
Many people may view "decentralization" as infringement of the right
to property.
But the larger part of the property of the oligarchy is already an
infringement on others' right to property, consequently it is not
infringement but protection of this right.
HAKOB BADALYAN
Story from Lragir.am News:
http://www.lragir.am/engsrc/comments26978.html
Published: 13:06:37 - 27/07/2012
We hear on different occasions that major businessmen or oligarchs
of Armenia are the victims of the current system and they would love
to work in a legal atmosphere if the central government did not force
them to operate informally.
Such opinions are partly true. They are true because the oligarchs
would really love to work in a legal field but they are held back by
the circumstance that the "favorites" will keep away from that field
and the opportunities will be unequal.
Otherwise, the oligarchy has accumulated so many billions and
infrastructures that the legal field is not a threat to them. The
oligarchy is a threat to itself in the sense of partial legalization.
The oligarchy has so much capital and infrastructures that one will
need billions to be able to compete with them. Who will bring those
billions to Armenia if not the oligarchy?
Consequently, the issue is not legalization of the activities of
the oligarchy. This is only a formal solution which will not bring
about any change. This step will just legitimize the oligarchic
economic-political system, the effectiveness of which will remain
the same.
The issue in Armenia is redistribution of positions and resources of
the oligarchy. This redistribution is inevitable if the country is
committed to change, establishment of an atmosphere of creativity.
The oligarchy has in its hands a large part of resources, and this
share cannot be used effectively for the public and the state,
especially with the small scales of the economy of Armenia.
To ensure the effectiveness of this share it is necessary to
return it from the oligarchy to the small and midsize businesses
in an anti-monopoly and anti-oligarchy policy. In other words, the
anti-monopoly and anti-oligarchy policy should focus on the tough
policy of decentralization of resources and then should prevent the
creation of new monopolies and oligopolies.
Here is the axis of the issue and this is the reason why the oligarchic
system, despite its huge advantage, does not want to operate in law. In
fact, the political government prohibits this which is coalesced with
the oligarchy. Perhaps, it does not allow but with the same concern
that interests match here and they thus find a temporary solution.
Decentralization of resources is a vital need. The oligarchic system
can protect its resources only in the legal field since this system
stops being vital in terms of protection of its political and social
interests.
Many people may view "decentralization" as infringement of the right
to property.
But the larger part of the property of the oligarchy is already an
infringement on others' right to property, consequently it is not
infringement but protection of this right.