Development of cooperatives and their role in the fight against shortages in the Russian Far East during perestroika

The article analyzes the activities of cooperatives in the Russian Far East during the period of perestroika. In the context of shortages, cooperatives were designed to contribute to their elimination, however the emergence and development of cooperatives did not neutralized the shortage of goods and services. Cooperators have taken advantage of economic freedom for personal enrichment and profit earning at any cost, including buyup of consumer goods in the retail shops for their subsequent resale. Thus, they actually worsened the shortage of goods and contributed to the introduction of rationing system for a number of goods.