Let's face it: Russians are hardwired to endure the economic crisis better than Westerners. In fact, if you survived the Soviet Union and the turbulent years following its collapse, you are so used to a dysfunctional economy that the prosperous '00s were what felt jarring. So this weekend, when The New York Times reported that “barter is back,” we can’t say we were surprised. But we were certainly intrigued by some of the new ways in which Russians are going about their daily swapping.

Specifically, the article alludes to small-scale operations, like an ad that promised thousands and thousands of dollars worth of underwear in exchange for an automobile, or another notice offering lumber in exchange for food or medicine. Even the construction industry and regional government apparatus are looking to go post-monetary.

The Times also reintroduces us to German L. Sterligov. The multimillionaire commodities-trader-turned-“peasant” recently emerged from his farmhouse outside Moscow to unveil his electronic worldwide barter system. If realized, his computer database will make trade between enterprises a methodical affair by linking seven or more financially struggling firms together, and having the last firm in a chain pay the first in a single cash transaction. It’s what Russian factory managers did in the ’90s, without the help of technology. Sterligov, by the way, was busy making loads of money in the '90s. It wasn’t until his failed run for president against Putin in ’04 that he retreated into semi-obscurity.

So it appears that if we want an economic model for Russia's future, we need only look back to the zany mid-'90s, when bartering accounted for 75 percent of large enterprise sales and 50 percent of midsize ones. That's all well and good for businesses, but we're wondering how bartering is making a comeback among friends, neighbors, and relatives. Will there be a new reign of blat (the hookup) in light of the financial crisis? And how will things be different in the Internet age? Our wager: the "Live" in LiveJournal is about to take on a whole new meaning.

Have Car, Need Briefs? In Russia, Barter Is Back[NYT]

Photo: Sterligov courtesy of www.russia-today.ru