Small Entrepreneurship and Entrepreneurial Activity of Population in Russia in the Context of the Economic Transformation.

The paper deals with the main stages of private (small) entrepreneurship (SME) development and changing approaches to the SME policy in Russia under the systemic transition. The author argues that the entrepreneurship and SME policy in Russia remains rather reactive than pro-active. A special attention is paid to the crisis (2008-2009) impact both on the entrepreneurial activity of population based on Global Entrepreneurship Monitors (GEM) data as well as on the State inconsistent policy to promote SME under slowdown. In Russia, the strategic objective of government policies must be to support productive entrepreneurship and limit the options for rent-oriented or even parasitic growth of the two other types. But this task involves fundamental changes in the system of ownership rights and the entire structure of social relations, for the domination of unproductive and 'destructive' entrepreneurship is inseparable from the system of 'power-ownership' dominating in Russia. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]