what is a kondratieff wave 
kondratieff wave named after russian economist nikolai kondratieff refers to cycles lasting about 40 to 60 years experienced by capitalist economies also known as kondratiev waves super cycles k waves surges and or long waves understanding kondratieff wavesa kondratieff wave is a long term economic cycle believed to be born out of technological innovation which results in a long period of prosperity this theory was founded by nikolai d kondratieff also spelled kondratiev a communist russia era economist who noticed agricultural commodity and copper prices experienced long term cycles kondratieff believed that these cycles involved periods of evolution and self correction economists have identified the following kondratieff waves since the 18th century additionally each cycle can have four sub cycles or phases that have been dubbed after seasons nikolai d kondratieff s fatekondratieff waves are relegated to a branch of economics called heterodox economics in that it does not conform to the widely accepted orthodox theories espoused by economists the theory was also not welcomed in kondratieff s russia his views were anathema to communist officials especially josef stalin because they suggested that capitalist nations were not on an inevitable path to destruction but rather that they experienced ups and downs as a result he ended up in a concentration camp in siberia and was shot by a firing squad in 1938 