Conclusion

Abstract

This chapter concludes that the post-Soviet transformations of both countries are not processes that have resulted from democratic demands and aspirations of the people; rather, they are processes that involve the exercise of power by national elites on behalf of the state with the intention of preserving and perpetuating the interests of the capitalist systems established in both post-Soviet countries. The chapter also points to the powerful role the United States played in the rise of neoliberalism and the spread of global neoliberal capitalism. Moreover, it suggests that promotion of free market, free trade, and democracy around the globe actually advance the interests of the American capitalist system in its drive to capital accumulation and dominance over the global market. Lastly, the chapter calls for an increased voice in critical approaches in the social sciences.