Душевой ВВП и производительность труда в России: было ли догоняющее развитие?

Using Russian data, it is showт that different assessment techniques of cathing-up development lead to opposite conclusions: according to current PPPs we have seen the cathing-up in per capita GDP during 1990-2012 period, but according to constant PPPs – we have not. It is argued that current PPPs give more reliable picture of comparative welfare (per capita GDP) dynamics rather than constant PPPs. The author shows that substitution effect explains more than the half of the Russia-US per capita GDP gap reduction in 2005-2012 period. Constant PPPs are preferred for comparisons of productivity dynamics. According to constant PPPs in 2012 Russia had bigger productivity gap (to US) than that in 1991 year.