The purpose of article was to analyse the reasons of economic lag of Russia and to prove methodological and practical measures for increase in competitiveness of economy during her structural modernization. In this regard: the factors promoting the social and economic growth of national competitiveness are investigated and classified, special attention is paid to the system of internal and external factors; a number of features of the present stage of modernization of the Russian economy distinguishing her from the previous attempts is revealed; the complex of theoretical and practical questions of a role of the institutional environment, the competitive relations is considered; features, dynamics and tendencies of the key indicators characterizing the competitive environment are analysed; a number of features of interrelation and interaction between modernization, the competition and competitiveness of economy of the present stage is revealed; the system group of types of regional competitive advantages is carried out and recommendations about their elimination are made; world and national lines of the social and economic tendencies defining new limits of freedom and restrictions of the competitive relations are designated; prerequisites of emergence and distribution of cartels in the Russian economy are revealed and systematized; offers on development of antimonopoly activity are made.