Inter-enterprise arrears and barter in the Russian economy

Using surveys and published statistics, a specialist on Russia's political economy reexamines the relationship between barter and inter-enterprise arrears, on the one hand, and restructuring, investment, and growth, on the other. The bases of arguments about the "virtual economy" in Russia are explored. Comparisons are invoked with the incidence of non-monetary payments and arrears in several developed, market economies. Tentative conclusions are reached about the descriptive and explanatory utility of alternative images of the post-communist Russian economy.