Oil separately, people separately
For all that, the Russian citizens have already managed to convey such a message that, supposedly, with the high price of “black gold”, it is also impossible to relax. And the Russians themselves noticed that in whatever direction the oil price did not go (up or down), the price tags at Russian gas stations behave as if the most important economists of the world work in these institutions and are free to set prices as they see fit without paying attention to stock reports. It looks something like this: the price of oil has crept upwards, which means that it’s time to raise the price of gasoline and diesel fuel; the price of oil began to decline, the price tags at gas stations remained unchanged - what, they say, change, tomorrow the oil will "grow up" again ...
The prime minister will speak out, shout, then, you see, the price will fall for a couple of kopecks. As soon as the attention of the Russian leadership in this direction dries out, so there is a new rise in prices, without regard to market rules.
As a result, we came to an absolutely absurd situation in which it became much more profitable for Russian oil companies to sell raw materials abroad than to implement it within Russia. It would seem that this is not so bad, because it would be possible not only to organize new production for the received super-profits, but also to build a transparent pricing system. However, in Russia is not so simple. And this state of affairs was formed, of course, not today, but the fact that it continues to remain so is more than alarming.
With the natural identity of oil prices throughout the world, the cost of petroleum products within countries is different. It would seem that such a cost should be significantly lower for exporting countries and significantly higher for those countries in which the import of crude oil prevails for one reason or another. In principle, in most cases this is the case, but there are some exceptions. For example, with the price of oil in the 120-125 area of dollars per barrel, the price of a liter of petrol in oil-producing Venezuela is $ 0,171, Saudi Arabia is $ 0,168, Kuwait is even lower. At the same time, in Russia, the average price of gasoline brand AI-95 is approximately equal to one dollar. However, Russia is far from the only oil producing state in the world where prices are so high. For example, in Norway, a liter of 95 fuel costs almost $ 2,4. It would seem that the globalization of the economy leads Russia to the need to use domestic fuel prices at such a high level, and there is nothing strange and terrible about this. But all is not so obvious. If we compare oil-producing Russia with oil-producing Norway, then we must also mention the average standard of living in these countries. And the standard of living, according to statistical estimates in Norway, exceeds the Russian one approximately 4 times. In other words, the Norwegian high prices for oil products are much more adequate to the state of the real solvency of citizens than the prices for oil products in Russia.
It turns out that oil dependence, about which so much has been said lately, for our country is also becoming a kind of catalyst for the state of affairs in the economy. In fact, a vicious practice has emerged that does not allow economic instruments to regulate the market for sales of hydrocarbons, carrying out a fair distribution of income. Any sales revenues that go to the state budget work only in one direction - the saturation of this budget with foreign currency, only lazy does not speak of the weakness of its positions. Such investments in sick European and American economies are trying to be justified by the fact that, they say, if these economies begin to crumble, then the Russian financial system will turn into dust. If we talk in such categories, it turns out that the Russian economic model today has no salvation at all. If you go to the left, you ruin the economy, you go to the right, the economy will be ruined by the wreckage of the crumbling European financial system, you go straight, you will end up in a dollar relationship with an outcome similar to the previous two.
At the same time, it is completely incomprehensible why investments are needed in the same loose dollars and euros, when you can consciously increase your own production capacity, which can pull any economy out of the biggest whirlpool. Here we can learn from the same Chinese who have turned their production model into a locomotive of economic development.
However, you shouldn’t beat yourself with fists in the chest and say that the idea of developing high-tech domestic production with the involvement of a large number of specialists came to our mind only. Of course not ... This idea is just in the air for as long as there are disputes over Russian oil dependence. However, the idea is not going further than this, the strange thing is not progressing, because there is an objective reason for this, which is called corruption. Well, judge for yourself if the owners of large oil producing companies allow themselves to invest in real production, because their main task is to keep their enterprises at the level that allows the country to impersonate a large oil producing country. In Russia, the need to finance any noteworthy innovation project causes the owners of controlling stakes in oil companies to react as if they are actually earning money by doing the real production. At the same time, the Russian Federation remains the main world leader in the number of billionaires who have a tenth attitude to the production sector. All of their capital is raw materials, which according to the Constitution of the Russian Federation, such as, is a national treasure.
And if the wealth is common, then, it turns out that each of us can calmly go into exploration, discover the deposit, purchase equipment and mine "black gold" as a private entrepreneur. Maybe he can, but, as they say, who will give him ...
So it turns out that we are all waiting for a miracle from the Russian economy, realizing that the only decent growth is associated with the oil sector, which is in "safe hands".
If this situation in the Russian economy does not change, if no active steps are taken to reform the main source of income - the oil sector - Russia will continue to depend on the mood of the owners of gas stations today. And, judging by the price tags, these citizens of the Russian Federation simply do not know how to be sad ...
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