On May 30, cultural historian Alexander Etkind gave a public lecture on the concept of the super-extractive state. Professor Etkind began by saying that at the present moment there is a growing interest in political economy. History, having survived its predicted endpoint, is experiencing a return. This is, however, within the framework of an altogether different capitalism—not the one spoken about by classics. They did not know the significance that natural resources and raw materials could acquire.