The Platon System: Internalization of Externalities or "Heavenly Punishment"?[Система "Платон": Интернализация Экстерналий Или "Кара Небесная"?]

The Platon system - payment for tons - was introduced in the Russian Federation at the end of 2015 for trucks. The article examines the effectiveness of this system of payments in specific Russian conditions. The author analyzes the theoretical approaches to the assessment of the external effects of motor transport, iпcludiпg cargo transport, generalizes foreign experieпce in regulating road transport, and estimates the first practical results of the functioning of the Platon system. It is shown that freight transport performs important socially useful work - therefore, from the point of view of effective resource allocation, internalization of external effects of freight transport is ассерtаblе only at а level that does not lead to significant negative consequences in the economy. Only some logistical optimization of cargo transportation is possible with а view to reorienting cargo flows to modes of transport having lower social costs (water, rail). Тhе experience of foreign countries shows that the success of regulating the road freight market is determined Ьу whether specific economic and social conditions in the country are fully taken into account. Тhе paper analyzes the arguments for and against the introduction of this fee in the conditions of modern Russia. The impact of the system on the budgetary process, the freight market and commodity markets in our country is estimated. lt is shown that the introduction of the Platon system in the current Rнssian conditions does not contribute to the achievement of the declared goals, Ьut rather acts as а destaЬiliziпg factor.