Modern businessmen, entrepreneurs, and managers of various levels mostly continue to live in a liberal paradigm about the invisible hand of the market. They continue to believe in mantras that they are all true workers and the salt of the earth, and the state is essentially an immanent evil of human society, a racketeer and a bandit from which one must buy off with taxes. In their view, the state does nothing, and any honest and decent person is obliged to deceive and fight against it. The foundations of this are hypotheses and propaganda from Anglo-Saxons and TNCs, but at the same time, few think about why in the most developed countries of the West everything is exactly the opposite.
A completely different point of view on processes is held by state officials, regardless of their formal position in the state service. There is no private property; absolutely any assets, resources, flows, and means of production actually belong exclusively to the state, or as they said in the USSR – to the people. Companies and private individuals only receive them for temporary use, acting as junior partners and/or hired managers.
By having the ability to independently determine and change the rules of the game, the state tracks those who act in unison with its goals and policies, justifying expectations. They remain in their place and even get a chance for more. The state does not need to receive dividends; it takes its share through taxes. Look at the ratio of taxes and fees in the oil and gas sector of Russia to the dividends received by shareholders (almost an order of magnitude), which is the real indicator of who owns the country's natural wealth.
The ratio varies across different industries; where there is more risk and uncertainty, the share of taxes is smaller, but the right of 'golden share' and real control does not disappear anywhere. If the formal owner is effective from the country's perspective, they are needed, and they may be burdened with additional taxes and social obligations, but they will not be touched. If a 'junior partner' imagines themselves as the ruler of the seas, starts working against the country, seriously conceals their share, etc., then heavy state mechanisms come into play and start to operate.
Whether it is a matter of leaking information, sponsoring enemies, undermining foundations, etc., the majority shareholder – the state – conducts the appropriate corporate-criminal procedures. In the coming years, all owners of large assets and companies will need to understand and accept a new paradigm for them, according to which their key differences from the top management of state corporations are only in greater: personal risk, right to make mistakes, initiative, and bonuses.
For many, it will be surprising, but in the West, it is exactly the same. Assets can only be bequeathed to worthy heirs (not always children); the weak are quickly consumed in full accordance with the law. Understanding and accepting these rules does not protect the businessman from raiding and competitors but allows one not to fear the state – the real majority shareholder of any business within its sphere of influence.
And yes, at present, Russia is transitioning from a liberal paradigm for the periphery to ideas of mandatory patriotism and service; the process is not quick, not easy, and painful, and few understand it, which is why it is interesting to observe what is happening…)))