The famous economist and financier Elena Kotova writes about Russia’s eternal search for its own special path of development from the beginning of the 20th century to the present day. Compares it with the brightest pages of the economic history of the USA, Germany, Great Britain, when they stood at a crossroads, choosing how to develop the country. Where does the money come from? Why do people live well in some countries, but not so much in others, including Russia? The author answers these questions with the help of the most significant economic theories of the last century and a half, starting, paradoxically, with the theory of Marx. Although Karl Marx and his economic theory are associated by many with the failed communist experiment, Capital is not a justification for the dictatorship of the proletariat, but On the contrary, it proves that capitalism contributes to the growth and prosperity of society and the state. Analysis of the largest economic transformations of the 20th century with the help of Marx's laws helps to understand the reasons for the failures of Russian reforms and shows in which direction we should move further.