Ukraine and the Empire of Capital : From Marketisation to Armed Conflict

From the Orange Revolution to Euromaidan, Ukraine has been in turmoil for decades. With Russia now threatening its borders and with simmering civil unrest, the country’s stability hangs by a thread. In Ukraine and the Empire of Capital , Yuliya Yurchenko analyzes these dramatic events through the lens of the country’s post-Soviet past. Providing distinctive and unexplored reflections on the origins of the conflict, Yurchenko challenges the four central myths that underlie Ukraine’s post-Soviet reality: the myth of transition, the myth of democracy, the myth of two Ukraines, and the myth of the other. With a particular focus on Ukraine’s relations with the United States, European Union, and Russia, Yurchenko provides the first deep study of contemporary Ukrainian political economy from a Marxist perspective. Since 1991, Nominally Independent Ukraine Has Been In Turmoil, With The Orange Revolution And The Maidan Protests Marking Its Most Critical Moments. Now Its Borders Are Threatened And Civil Unrest And Armed Conflict Continue To Destabilise The Country. In Order To Understand These Dramatic Events, Yuliya Yurchenko Looks To The Country's Post-soviet Past In This Ambitious Analysis Of Contemporary Ukrainian Political Economy. Exploring The Origins Of The Conflict, Yurchenko Examines Four Central Myths That Underlie Ukraine's Post-soviet Reality: The Myth Of Transition, The Myth Of Democracy, The Myth Of Two Ukraines, And The Myth Of 'the Other'. She Sheds Light On The Current Intensification Of Class Rivalries, Kleptocracy And Resource Wars, And Analyses The Potential Dangers Of The Right-wing Shift In Ukraine's Polity, Stressing A Historic Opportunity For Change. Yurchenko Offers A Sweeping Analysis Which Includes The Wider Neoliberal Restructuring Of Global Political Economy Since The 1970s, With Particular Focus On Ukraine's Relations With The Us, The Eu, And Russia. This Is A Book For Those Wanting To Understand The Current Conflict As A Dangerous Product Of Neoliberalism, Of The Empire Of Capital. Per Aspera Ad Nebulae Or To Market Throguh A Hybrid Civil War: Survival Myths Of Systemic Failure -- Capitalist Antecedents In The Late Ussr -- Social Destruction And Kleptocratic Construction Of The Early 1990s -- Class Formation And Social Fragmentation -- Neoliberal Kleptocracy, Fdi And Transnational Capital -- 'two Ukraines,' One 'family,' And Geopolitical Crossroads -- The Bloody Winter And The 'gates Of Europe' -- Geopolitics, The Elusive 'other,' And The Nebulous Telos Of Europe. Yuliya Yurchenko. Includes Bibliographical References (pages 211-277) And Index. Since 1991, nominally independent Ukraine has been in turmoil, with the Orange Revolution and the Maidan protests marking its most critical moments. Now, its borders are threatened and the civil unrest and armed conflict continue to destabilise the country. In order to understand these dramatic events, Yuliya Yurchenko looks to the country’s post-Soviet past in this ambitious analysis of contemporary Ukrainian political economy.

Providing distinctive and unexplored reflections on the origins of the conflict, Yurchenko unpacks the four central myths that underlie Ukraine's post-Soviet reality: the myth of transition, the myth of democracy, the myth of two Ukraines, and the myth of 'the other'. In doing so, she sheds light on the current intensification of class rivalries in Ukraine, the kleptocracy, resource wars and analyses existing and potential dangers of the rightwing shift in Ukraine's polity, stressing a historic opportunity for change.

Critiquing the concept of Ukraine as ‘transition space’, she provides a sweeping analysis which includes the wider neoliberal restructuring of global political economy since the 1970s, with particular focus on Ukraine's relations with the US, the EU and Russia. This is a book for those wanting to understand the current conflict as a dangerous product of neoliberalism, of the empire of capital. Since 1991, nominally independent Ukraine has been in turmoil, with the Orange Revolution and the Maidan protests marking its most critical moments. Now its borders are threatened and civil unrest and armed conflict continue to destabilize the country. In order to understand these dramatic events, Yuliya Yurchenko looks to the country's post-Soviet past in this ambitious analysis of contemporary Ukrainian political economy. Exploring the origins of the conflict, Yurchenko examines four central myths that underlie Ukraine's post-Soviet reality: the myth of transition, the myth of democracy, the myth of two Ukraines, and the myth of 'the other'. She sheds light on the current intensification of class rivalries, kleptocracy and resource wars, and analyses the potential dangers of the right-wing shift in Ukraine's polity, stressing a historic opportunity for change. Yurchenko offers a sweeping analysis which includes the wider neoliberal restructuring of global political economy since the 1970s, with particular focus on Ukraine's relations with the US, the EU, and Russia. This is a book for those wanting to understand the current conflict as a dangerous product of neoliberalism, of the empire of capital Cover......Page 1 Contents......Page 8 Figures and Tables......Page 9 Abbreviations......Page 11 Acknowledgements......Page 13 Preface......Page 14 1. Per aspera ad nebulae or to market through a hybrid civil war: survival myths of systemic failure......Page 18 2. Capitalist antecedents in the late USSR......Page 42 3. Social destruction and kleptocratic construction of the early 1990s......Page 59 4. Class formation and social fragmentation......Page 85 5. Neoliberal kleptocracy, FDI and transnational capital......Page 107 6. 'Two Ukraines', One 'Family' and geopolitical crossroads......Page 145 7. The Bloody Winter and the 'Gates of Europe'......Page 169 8. Geopolitics, the elusive 'Other' and the nebulous telos of Europe......Page 199 Notes......Page 228 Bibliography......Page 271 Index......Page 295