Book contents
- Frontmatter
- Contents
- Contributors
- Preface
- Chapter 1 Introduction: Spiritual, Social, Human, and Financial Capital
- Chapter 2 Do Some Religions Do Better than Others?
- Chapter 3 Spiritual Capital and Economic Development: An Overview
- Chapter 4 The Possibilities and Limitations of Spiritual Capital in Chinese Societies
- Chapter 5 How Evangelicanism – Including Pentecostalism – Helps the Poor: The Role of Spiritual Capital
- Chapter 6 Flying under South Africa's Radar: The Growth and Impact of Pentecostals in a Developing Country
- Chapter 7 Importing Spiritual Capital: East-West Encounters and Capitalist Cultures in Eastern Europe After 1989
- Chapter 8 Orthodox Spiritual Capital and Russian Reform
- Chapter 9 Islam and Spiritual Capital: An Indonesian Case Study
- Chapter 10 Separating Religious Content from Religious Practice: Loose and Tight Institutions and their Relevance in Economic Evolution
Chapter 8 - Orthodox Spiritual Capital and Russian Reform
Published online by Cambridge University Press: 05 March 2012
- Frontmatter
- Contents
- Contributors
- Preface
- Chapter 1 Introduction: Spiritual, Social, Human, and Financial Capital
- Chapter 2 Do Some Religions Do Better than Others?
- Chapter 3 Spiritual Capital and Economic Development: An Overview
- Chapter 4 The Possibilities and Limitations of Spiritual Capital in Chinese Societies
- Chapter 5 How Evangelicanism – Including Pentecostalism – Helps the Poor: The Role of Spiritual Capital
- Chapter 6 Flying under South Africa's Radar: The Growth and Impact of Pentecostals in a Developing Country
- Chapter 7 Importing Spiritual Capital: East-West Encounters and Capitalist Cultures in Eastern Europe After 1989
- Chapter 8 Orthodox Spiritual Capital and Russian Reform
- Chapter 9 Islam and Spiritual Capital: An Indonesian Case Study
- Chapter 10 Separating Religious Content from Religious Practice: Loose and Tight Institutions and their Relevance in Economic Evolution
Summary
In an interview conducted with members of the editorial board of Time magazine in relation to their naming Vladimir Putin the 2007 ‘Person of the Year’, Putin quoted scripture when asked about his attacks against corruption, responding that ‘thou shalt not steal’. When asked further about his faith, Putin confessed to being a religious person, saying that he read the Bible and kept a copy of it on his plane. Putin further elaborated by stating that society needs a moral foundation, and that in his opinion the church can provide this. Indeed, in a de-secularising Russia, recovering from seven decades of forced secularization under Communist rule, many are turning to the nation's spiritual heritage both for a sense of identity and answers to how to live in post- Communist society.With more than a thousand years of history in Russia, many have a deep cultural attachment to the Eastern Orthodox faith. As they attempt to integrate this faith into their daily lives, Orthodoxy may provide significant spiritual capital that may facilitate Russia's transition from Communism to democracy and the free market.
Before one jumps to the conclusion that Orthodox spiritual capital is the answer to Russia's prayers, however, one must also consider the fact that this very same faith tradition is being drawn upon in ways that clearly could derail Russia's reform efforts.
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- Information
- The Hidden Form of CapitalSpiritual Influences in Societal Progress, pp. 171 - 190Publisher: Anthem PressPrint publication year: 2010