How does the novel Foma Gordeyev explore the rise of Russian capitalism?

In his 1899 novel Foma Gordeyev, Maxim Gorky explores the rise of Russian capitalism primarily through the character of Ignat Gordeyev, a masterful barge owner who embodies the era's burgeoning commercial strength.1

Gorky contrasts Ignat’s physical power and iron will—traits he associates with the successful, rising capitalist—against the character of his son, Foma. Foma is depicted as a "seeker after the meaning of life," possessing a feeble and intellectual nature that stands in stark opposition to his father's pragmatic, profit-driven world. By juxtaposing these two archetypes, Gorky highlights the internal tensions and moral complexities inherent in the rapid development of the Russian capitalist class during this period.1

Following the publication of this work, the rise of Russian capitalism became a central theme in Gorky’s fiction, marking the beginning of his sustained interest in the socio-economic transformations shaping his country.1