63 pages • 2 hours read
The Oligarch's Daughter
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Themes
The Destructive Interplay of Money, Corruption, and Power
Content Warning: This section of the guide includes discussion of death and illness.
The Oligarch’s Daughter explores how money, power, and corruption do not exist in isolation but rather feed into and reinforce one another. This creates a system that rewards ethical compromise and punishes those who question it. Arkady Galkin’s rise and fall reveal how economic and political structures—both in Russia and the United States—facilitate corruption. However, Arkady’s character arc shows that the pursuit of power and wealth through corrupt means is ultimately unsustainable since it entraps individuals and erodes their personal freedom.
Although Arkady perceives himself as a self-made man, his initial business success was a result of political corruption rather than business acumen. The privatization process in Russia was defined by unequal opportunity, and the ability to purchase privatized assets was limited to those with existing connections. The new class of businessmen, called “oligarchs,” controlled vast swaths of what were once state resources, and they were expected to do the bidding of the Kremlin. In order to take part in this rigged system, oligarchs had to possess a loose sense of personal ethics and a willingness to quietly break the law. Still, Arkady believes in his own Unlock all 63 pages of this Study Guide Plus, gain access to 9,100+ more expert-written Study Guides. Including features:
