Values Entrepreneurship and Ideological Reaction: The Case of Konstantin Malofeev

Existing research on Russia’s conservatism focuses mostly on Vladimir Putin’s speeches, official documents, and governmental decisions, or on everyday conservatism at the grassroots level. However, we are still missing a more complete picture of the intermediate layer of institutions and actors that try to implement conservative policies. This chapter addresses this gap, focusing on the conservative Orthodox oligarch Konstantin Malofeev. The chapter explores how the ‘Malofeev empire’, which encompasses business structures (Marshall Capital Partners and many smaller ones), philanthropic foundations (St Basil the Great Foundation, Russia’s largest Orthodox charity fund), media platforms (Tsargrad), “think tanks” (Katekhon), and educational institutions (St Basil the Great Gymnasium), has been mobilised to further Malofeev’s values-based agenda. In addition, Malofeev has been able to take under his wing existing elite clusters that were animated by moral conservatism. The chapter demonstrates how such entrepreneurs of influence often use their own financial and social capital to invest in a sector, hoping that the Kremlin will provide a return on their investment – whether financial or political – but also knowing that they may fail and be disavowed by the authorities or become a casualty of their competitors’ settling of scores.