Paper short abstract:

Evenki hunter-gatherers manage to resist the attempts of the State representatives to control and appropriate their nephrite business through maintaining unaccountable character of actions. The methods by which this in-transparency is attained correlate with egalitarian features of their culture.

Paper long abstract:

Anthropological researches frequently show how diversely the relationships to the State develop in frames of various cultures. These observations contradict the ideal premises of modern national states, notably unification and accountability (and controllability) of elements of social life of its citizens.

This paper focuses on the case of indigenous business enterprise, which was established by a group of Evenki of East Siberia and on attempts of State representatives to control it in order to obtain taxes and bribes. Evenki have been resisting these efforts for more than 10 years by generating unaccountability of their actions and reports filled with what one can call information noise, which are inappropriate for the reconstruction of the way the business is operating. The main cause of the success of this enterprise is the ability of its members simultaneously be in constant contact with local and central authorities but at the same time organize their business in such a way, that practically nobody (even the heads of it) can not present accountable and complete description of how it works. To a stranger's eye this business could look like a chaotic and unpredictable mass of occasions with unclear results, but such an impression is the best strategy to hide the business outcomes and profits both from the State, other rivals and clients. This anarchic business management, based on the egalitarian principles of hunter-gatherers social organization, found a remarkable niche in the global market trade between China and Russia.

The research is based on several extended fieldworks.