Abstract:

Economic security is essential for any society since it is only by ensuring the enduring prosperity of the country that the government can fulfil its obligations towards the citizens by providing them with high standards of living, opportunities to obtain education, to establish and operate a business, to make investments, develop innovative technologies, engage in international cooperation, and so on. Measures and policies to maintain and enhance economic security are developed and implemented on all levels of state government in Russia, including the President, State Duma, ministeries, federal, regional and local authorities. According to the law 'On Security' [1, Article 3], national security encompasses economic security; protection of the rights of individual citizens and society in general; detection, analysis and assessment of threats; allocation of funds to meet the needs of national security; and control over the spending of these funds. It should be noted, however, that the terms 'security' and 'economic security' have no agreed definitions not only in Russian but also in international research literature. E.A. Oleynikov [2, p.29] defines economic security as 'a condition of economy and government institutions that would guarantee the protection of national interests and ensure harmonious, socially-oriented development of the country as a whole, sufficient economic and defense potential even in the occurrence of adverse domestic and international scenarios'. V.K. Senchagov [3, p.98-99] gives a similar interpretation of economic security, adding that it is not only 'the protection of national interests but also the readiness and ability of the government institutions to establish mechanisms of realization and protection of national interests in terms of economic development, social and political stability'.