In 2014, Lenta.ru conducted a study into the ethnic composition of Russia’s billionaires. (Steve Sailer picked it up as well). The observation that Jews constituted 21% of the Russian Forbes 200 predictably drove handshakeworthy journalists, Jews, and especially Jewish journalists into a tizzy (as I recall, when I asked him when he was also going to condemn Forbes Israel, which also loves to count Jewish billionaires, that was when anti-Russian hack Ben Judah blocked me).
The hysteria concealed real failings in the article. There was no clear methodology. Furthermore, the numbers of Ukrainians in the ratings seemed vastly inflated. They supposedly constituted 12% of Russian billionaires, even though most of them were nothing of the sort; the analytical team seems to have just consigned everyone with a surname ending in “ko” to the Ukrainian race. This makes about as much sense as counting Donald Drumpf as a German oligarch in America.
Still, some general trends could be clearly discerned. Russians – that is, Russians and Russians misattributed as Ukrainians and Belorussians – consituted about 66% of the list’s members and almost exactly half of the combined capital of $481 billion. Jews and Mountain Jews constituted 24% of the list, and had 28% of the capital. All of the rest belonged to Caucasian and Muslim minorities. Notably, there were no traditionally Buddhist/animist Siberian minorities on the list.
In recent days, the blogger Ivan Vladimirov, who produces excellent data-heavy material on Russian demographics, published a similar census based on the spring 2017 edition of the Forbes 200 for Russia for the nationalist journal Sputnik and Pogrom: Who Owns Russia?
Here are some of the more pertinent take-away points:
- First, he notes that state ownership is now at 70% of the Russian economy, twice its share 10 years ago, so in actual fact, the real “owners” of Russia are now the curators and appointed directors of its state behemoths, such as Igor Sechin (Rosneft) and Alexey Miller (Gazprom).
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Unlike Lenta.ru, he goes into some detail into his methodology:
- No “svidomy zmagars” – all the billionaires with distant Ukrainian or Belorussian ancestors are assumed to be Russians by default.
- Nationality is passed on down the paternal line, including with the Jews.
- Unless they have openly declared they identify more with another aspect of their ancestry. For instance, Petr Aven (head of Alpha Bank), despite being a Latvian-Russian métis through his father, identifies more with his Jewish maternal grandmother and belongs to Jewish organizations, so he’s considered to be a Jew.
- No presumption of Jewishness or non-Jewishness based on just the name since there are too many false positives.
- Now we come to the actual numbers – out of the Forbes 200 and their cumulative $459 billion in assets:
Russians constitute 127 (63.5%) of the people in the list, including 57.4% of the capital.
Jews have 41 (20.5%) people in the list, with 24.8% of the capital.
After those came Armenians (7), Tatars (6), Azeris, Chechens, and Ingush (3 each), and two Uzbeks, though one of the latter, Alisher Usmanov, is the fifth richest billionaire in Russia and has a relatively “interesting” public profile (a spat with Navalny; funding Western race realists).
- Vladimirov also notes that the Russian billionaires tend to have a very low degree of national consciousness.
For instance, Evgeny Kaspersky’s comments when asked if he had any Jewish ancestry on a visit to Israel:
I searched and searched, alas, I did not find… I got the name from Polish peasants, who during the uprising in the 1860s emigrated somewhere under Nelidovo about 300km from Moscow. There they married into Russians (that is, Slavic, Tatar, Polovtsian and whatever else constitutes “Russian” blood from in me). By mother is from the Tambov peasants. But this is the most interesting thing. Tambov was inhabited by soldiers who served their lives in various places. And soldiers sometimes came with brides from the most different places. And according to indirect data – I have roots from Scandinavia and Persia. But from Israel – alas, no… Although who knows?
This is, of course, nonsense from a population genetics standpoint. But one of the tropes of Soviet/Russian multiculturalism is that Russians are mulattoes up and there is no such thing as a Russian anyway. And the Russian elites respect this legacy, after as they’ve long done away with the economic aspects of Soviet dogma.
In fairness, this multicultural spirit likewise applies to Russia’s Muslim elite. He cites the example of Mikhail Gutsuryev, who sits on the Board of Trustees of the Jewish Museum and Center of Tolerance, while at the same time funding the construction of synagogues, Orthodox churches, and mosques. Or Lukoil head Vagit Alekperov, an Azeri-Russian, who renovated the main Russian Orthodox church of Imperial-era Baku, and prefers to keep his silence on matters of religion: According to a NYT profile of him from 2004, he “prudently keeps leather-bound copies of both the Koran and the Bible at his office, to allay any concerns that he prefers one almighty to another.”
- I also noticed that Russia’s statistics are rather similar to America’s.
In the US, North-West Europeans make up 51% of the members and own 56% of the cumulative assets in the Forbes 2010 list – this is almost identical to the figures for Russians in Russia, though on the other hand, this demographic group only makes up about 50% of the US population (non-Hispanic Whites minus Greeks, Italians, etc.), whereas Russians constitute 80% of Russia.
Jews own about a quarter of Russia but more than a third of the US – that said, they only make up 0.1% of the Russian population, versus 2% of the US population. That said, as Vladimirov points out, the more relevant indicator would be their 0.5% share of the Soviet population c.1989.
It is also interesting to note that “southern” diasporas, which in Russia’s case are Caucasians (Armenians, Azeris, Ingush, and for that matter, the Jews), are relatively more successful in commerce/becoming billionaires in Russia. This is also true for the US, where Italians, Middle Easterners, and Greeks are overrepresented as a share of the population. This is even though with the exception of the Jews, who are massively overrepresented, their IQs are no higher than those of WASPs or Russians, and possibly noticeably lower. I have speculated at times whether this “commercial trait” of people with Near Eastern/East Med ancestry could have developed as a consequence of their unrivalled length of experience with urban life and the associated haggling, bartering, etc. skills it selected for over the millennia.
Yeah, but then again this number is the number of self-identified Russians, and therefore has nothing to do with your ‘genetics’ stuff. When you start measuring noses, you might end up with a far lower percentage. Well, same as with the mythical “North-West Europeans” in the US, I suppose…
When you start measuring noses, you might end up with a far lower percentage. Well, same as with the mythical “North-West Europeans” in the US, I suppose…
This is true, but the Russians have the relative homogeneity of origin (seen on the map).
https://imgur.com/a/yvTZz
I don’t really care, but okay: assuming your picture corresponds to reality and blond hair corresponds to ‘genetic russian-ness’, still, for all of Russia, it looks waaaay below 80%.
So WASPS (plus Irish, Germans, etc.) are about 51% of the US population and have about 56% of US assets. Ethnic Russians are 80% of Russia’s population but have only 63% of Russia’s assets. In 1989 Jews were 1/4 of the % of Russia’s population as they are of America’s population, yet this much smaller % has nearly as many assets in Russia as in the USA. Russia is a real model for American nationalists.
Well, more of a model than in the 1990’s, anyway, when 6/7 of the most important oligarchs (Semibankirschina) – and they truly were oligarchs back then, because they had political power – were Jews.
Funny to think that even the Guardian published an article about all of the Jewish oligarchs.
https://www.theguardian.com/world/2007/jul/02/russia.lukeharding1
I suppose the plagiarist must have just browsed it before cutting and pasting from the Exiled
Blondes are a minority even among extreme blonde population of the shores of the Baltic sea. My point is different – Russian descendants of Slavonic, Finnish and Baltic tribes/peoples. These peoples differed in language and culture, rather than genotype (as can be seen from the map above, genetic differences do not coincide with ethnic borders). For this reason, to separate the “correct” Russian from “wrong” Russian on the criterion of the shape of the nose impossible.
Here’s a random sample (Petersburg, my home university) – you can split these people up into ethnic factions?
https://imgur.com/a/IMIx1
Elite (as elsewhere in Europe) at all times was more cosmopolitan – for example, among the highest dignitaries of Peter the Great were two Jews (baron Shafirov and count de Vieira), despite the fact that in that era the Jews were probably less than one thousandth percent of the population of Russia .
This is only if you count the heads of Gazprom and Rosneft as oligarchs in 2017 but not in 1997. That’s not to mention various local bosses.
As far as I’m concerned, Viktor Chernomyrdin was as much of an oligarch as Boris Berezovsky. And Yuri Luzhkov was a bigger oligarch than either of them.
…errrr…why would American Nationalists not include those with Dutch,Italian,Polish,French and Scandinavian heritage as also part of them you fuckedup [… AK: Redacted]? American nationalists refer to their White,European, Christian heritage
That would make it 73% of White European Americans control 56% of US assests versus 80 & 63% for Russia…which are matching percentage differentials you [redacted]. Obviously that is how a [redacted] as yourself operates…to ridiculously try and camouflage this fact by using [redacted] BS. Russia is still in credit oweing to the type of the Economy and the fact that America shields these non-Russian, Russian oligarchs.
AK: Okay, I’m going to start cracking on srach like this, thanks to it ruining some older threads. Please stop using ad homs towards AP. I will ask that he do likewise.
69% ( at time of poll) controls 56% of US. Doesn’t change my point you brainless retard.
The Armenian or Tatar billionaire is still more likely to marry a ethnic Russian and raise their children as Russian identity with loyalty to Russia….not to Israel or somewhere else as is the case with so many of the American equivalents. Both Zuckerburg and Murdoch married or were married to Chinese,Trumps beautiful daughter converting to Judaism and marrying this freak and so on. The Russian rhythmic gymnastic team are a great pride…the Uzbek Usmanov’s eccentric wife is jewish and she runs that..so she does something useful for Russia
I will try my best…..starting from NOW. The problem is not only the trolls lying and erroneous links from some random Motyl BS site……it is that he/it will often try and change the topic and subject of the post into some drivel
There is purposeful amnesia in the US regarding Jewish ownership in Russia. When Russia was being looted in the Yeltsin era even Steve Sailer was unaware of the ethnic/religious makeup of the looters until it was noted by Amy Chua. When Chua discussed the background of the main predators with her Jewish husband he feigned surprise that only 5 of the 6 were Jewish!
Potanin was the only non-Jew among the original seven oligarchs during the Yeltsin era, correct?
What percentage of Russia is Mongoloid?
Based on this page I estimate no more than 2% (excluding Tatars and Bashkirs). https://www.rbth.com/politics_and_society/2017/05/10/why-some-russians-look-asian-759856
Well, measuring noses or digging into people’s ancestry. It seems to me, the only way to separate ethnic groups is self-identification. But obviously it won’t fly here, so I’ll shut up now.
I agree with this entirely. But to the oligarchs, this approach may not work – many of them probably self-identificated themselves only with money
If you count half-Jews, quarter -Jews, and 1/8 Jews (with Jewish surname), as Jews, in this case the Jews in Russia is much more than 0.1%
This is completely wrong (as regards this study).
The author even gave the example of Petr Aven, who’d would all else equal be considered a Russian on the basis of his Russian-Latvian paternal ancestry, but who is instead consigned to Jewry because of his own strong identification with his Jewish maternal grandmother and participates in various Jewish organizations.
Another example given in the text (which I didn’t translate) is the case of Sergey Galitsky, the owner of the Magnit store chain, who might be identified as an Armenian (“Artunyan”) on the basis of paternal distinct, but identifies as Russian and a patriot of his native Kuban.
What is completely wrong?
Your post says: “Nationality is passed on down the paternal line … Unless they have openly declared they identify more with another aspect of their ancestry”. It doesn’t make sense to me. Why should anyone identify with their ancestry at all? People assimilate and redefine their (and, consequently, their descendants’) identities, regardless of their ancestry. Most people, as far as I know, don’t even know their ancestors beyond their grandparents.
The important thing is that in these times there are no taboos on (or, as far as I can tell, even noticeable residual disapproval of) inter-ethnic marriages. So, at this point, isn’t it really all vanity and chasing after wind?
Ancestry is a weird thing… some people know ancestry for many many generations, others know only parents. For dna you may have 1/8 x , but turn out to be 1/12 x.
For example in the US 25,000,000 identify having English ancestry. Several decades ago ago, this number was 50,000,000.
I would bet the number could go to 100,000,000 if enough dna data was available.
I fail to see, why paternal or maternal would be so important. Wouldnt your whole atdna + ydna + mtdna
be the best way?
Possibly identification, or recent ancestry, say 1/2 – 1/8
could be used in some measures.
“Of the seven oligarchs who controlled 50% of Russia’s economy during the 1990s, six were Jewish: Berezovsky, Vladimir Guzinsky, Alexander Smolensky, Mikhail Khodorkovsky, Mikhail Friedman and Valery Malkin.”
I believe this was from the awful Guardian. How true is this statement?
(Yes I know the Russian economy was really messed up during the 1990s)
I suspect a clear majority of white Americans have some British ancestry. Even the ostensibly Jewish Sarah Jessica Parker was surprised to find Puritan ancestors when she did Who do you Think You Are.
I was told a fair number of the central Asians etc. are actually Jewish.
Interesting article from 2004 by Uri Avnery on the Russian-Jewish oligarchs, a group of whom boldly appeared on an Israeli television programme boasting of their manipulations and exploits, even their very criminal ones. One especially important tidbit from Avnery –
[state ownership is now at 70% of the Russian economy, twice its share 10 years ago]
This statement from the Federal Antitrust Service seems more like rhetorical scaremongering by freemarketards than an objective accounting of fact. Furthermore, Rosneft and Gazprom are publicly traded companies despite the state’s controlling stake.
Yes,you’re absolutely correct. The “twice” bit in this misleading bollocks overemphasising exports and dollar transactions with no real analysis of the domestic Russian economy……all this is consistent with the Russian currency halving in value against the dollar since the fall in oil prices…. hence the “twice”to give this misleading impression of the Russian economy.
Ukrainistan though are really embracing free-market principles and “developing” their economy…those cretins even privatized their state Circus ( the actual Circus …not a euphemism for Rada)
Purposeful? Most Americans don’t even care for Russian history, let alone who made it or sacked it.
You didn’t even read iSteve’s post. Amy Chua said that 6 of the 7 were Jews. Berezovsky was half Jewish as his maternal grandmother was not Jewish. Khodorkovsky is another half-Jew.
The oligarchs got their scheming and assets through insiders not-yet named, but were allowed to do so by Chubais.
Jews can only rob when Gentiles give them a quarter.
I noticed that that Counter-Currents article did not bother to cite the documentary where Berezovsky boasted he caused the war in Chechnya.
Chechnya, in case you didn’t know, was a Muslim region that had ethnically massacred 200,000 white Russians. The state decided to do something about it, and to the West, Chechnya was portrayed as the victim.
Of course, no one in these comment sections has the thought to apply worthwhile skepticism to things they like.
Three of the Jews mentioned are not full Jews, but half-Jews. Vekselberg, Berezovsky, Khodorkovsky, are half-Jews. The rest – yes. But they got their cash thanks to US destabilization, and whether you want to pine that Jews were involved in that, as well, you’re going to have a nice Jew-on-Jew transaction.
Don’t drink and post, kids.
A large proportion of British descended Americans list their ancestry simply as “American”.
The proportion of people listing just “American” ancestry is one of the data points in the 538 election model (it correlates strongly with GOP voting).