ABSTRACT
This introduction presents an overview of the key concepts discussed in the subsequent chapters of this book. The book looks at the development of the Russian economy since the 1860s, and the main debates about this, through the perspective of the oil sector. It identifies some of the major continuities and discontinuities within the themes in different periods of Russian history, and provides an international context through a comparison with developments in the oil industry in the United States – another geographically large and resource-rich country. The book provides a study of the development of the oil industry in Russia right from its inception through to the present day. It considers the features and characteristics of the oil industry, and assesses how relevant the sector is for making general conclusions about industrial development in Russia or elsewhere. The book consists of both qualitative and quantitative approaches.
