ABSTRACT
This conclusion presents some closing thoughts on the concepts covered in the preceding chapters of this book. The book highlights some of the similarities and differences between the late-tsarist, Soviet and post-Soviet periods, and makes several comparisons with the oil industry in the United States. It considers some broader conclusions about the characteristics of long-run economic development in Russia. The book looks at the role of the state, business-state relations, foreign participation, enterprise performance and technology. It highlights the interconnections between them. In terms of the role of the state in industrial development in Russia, a strong state can be seen to be a constant element in the Russian oil industry during all three periods. With regards to foreign participation in the late-tsarist period, the state pursued several policies which created a level "playing field" for foreign and domestic oil companies alike operating in Russia.
