This research investigates the conditions under which Russian firms rely on criminal violence and corruption to protect property rights, and the conditions under which they abandon illegal practices in favor of law and formal institutions. The study draws on interviews with Russian firms, lawyers, and private security agencies in Moscow and Barnaul as well as a survey of enterprises across eight Russian cities. The findings of the project have implications for the promotion of the rule of law, identifying factors – such as the consolidation of ownership, banking sector development, or foreign direct investment – which encourage firms to turn to formal legal institutions for resolving disputes.
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Jordan Gans-Morse, of Northwestern University, was a 2012 Regional Policy Symposium [7] participant.
