Advanced Introduction to Russian Politics


Book Description

This perceptive Advanced Introduction provides a contemporary analysis of Russia's political system, political institutions and its place on the global stage. Richard Sakwa deftly explores Russia's emergence as an independent state, examining the structure of its existing political and economic system, its transformation following the constitutional reform of 2020, and the immediate and long-term consequences of the Russia-Ukraine war.




Advanced Introduction to Russian Politics


Book Description

This perceptive Advanced Introduction provides a contemporary analysis of Russia’s political system, political institutions and its place on the global stage. Richard Sakwa deftly explores Russia’s emergence as an independent state, examining the structure of its existing political and economic system, its transformation following the constitutional reform of 2020, and the immediate and long-term consequences of the Russia-Ukraine war.




Contemporary Russian Politics


Book Description

Vladimir Putin’s return to the Kremlin for a fourth presidential term in 2018 has seen Russian democracy weaken further and Russia’s relations with the West deteriorate seriously. Yet, within Russia, Putin’s position remains unchallenged and his foreign policy battles have received widespread public support. But is Putin as safe as his approval ratings lead us to believe? And how secure is the regime that he heads? In this new book, Neil Robinson places contemporary Russian politics in historical perspective to argue that Putin’s regime has not overcome the problems that underpinned the momentous changes in twentieth-century Russian history when the country veered from tsarism to Soviet rule to post-communist chaos. The first part of the book, outlining why crises have been perennial problems for Russia, is followed by an exploration of contemporary Russian political institutions and policy to show how Putin has stabilised Russian politics. But, while Putin’s achievements as a politician have been considerable in strengthening his personal position, they have not dealt successfully with the enduring problem of the Russian state’s functionality. Like other Russian rulers, Putin has been much better at establishing a political system that supports his rule than he has at building up a state that can deliver material wealth and protection to the Russian people. As a result, Robinson argues, Russia has been and remains vulnerable to political crisis and regime change.




Routledge Handbook of Russian Politics and Society


Book Description

There is an ever-burgeoning number of books analyzing the Russian experience, or aspects of it. This Handbook is the first single volume which gives both a broad survey of the literature as well as highlighting the cutting edge research in the area. Through both empirical data and theoretical investigation each chapter in the Routledge Handbook Russian of Politics and Society examines both the Russian experience and the existing literature, points to research trends, and identifies issues that remain to be resolved. Offering focused studies of the key elements of Russian social and political life, the book is organized into the following broad themes: General introduction Political institutions Political Economy Society Foreign Policy Politically, economically, and socially, Russia has one of the most interesting development trajectories of any major country. This Handbook seeks to answer questions about democratic transition, the relationship between the market and democracy, stability and authoritarian politics, the development of civil society, the role of crime and corruption, and the creation of a market economy. Providing a comprehensive resource for scholars and policy makers alike, this book is an important contribution to the study of Russian Studies, Eastern European studies, and International Relations.







The Politics of Advanced Capitalism


Book Description

This book serves as a sequel to two distinguished volumes on capitalism: Continuity and Change in Contemporary Capitalism (Cambridge, 1999) and Order and Conflict in Contemporary Capitalism (1985). Both volumes took stock of major economic challenges advanced industrial democracies faced, as well as the ways political and economic elites dealt with them. However, during the last decades, the structural environment of advanced capitalist democracies has undergone profound changes: sweeping deindustrialization, tertiarization of the employment structure, and demographic developments. This book provides a synthetic view, allowing the reader to grasp the nature of these structural transformations and their consequences in terms of the politics of change, policy outputs, and outcomes. In contrast to functionalist and structuralist approaches, the book advocates and contributes to a 'return of electoral and coalitional politics' to political economy research.




Russian Politics and Society


Book Description

Having been fully revised and updated to reflect the considerable changes in Russia over the last decade, the fifth edition of this classic text builds on the strengths of the previous editions to provide a comprehensive and sophisticated analysis of Russian politics and society. This new edition continues the work of updating and revising, as well as incorporating the latest debates about Russian politics and analysing recent institutional and political developments. Above all, it will take into account the 2011-12 electoral cycle, and examine the prospects of the President elected at the end of the process. New to this edition: An evaluation of Medevev's leadership and the country's political performance under him & Putin More analysis of economic performance including discussion of the energy sector and pipeline politics Changes in Russian foreign policy since EU enlargement and Obama's Presidency as well as its relations with post-Soviet states Updated election results and demographic, social, ethnic/national statistics to include results of the 2010 census Changes in the party system, to electoral legislation and to the composition of parliament as well as the relationship between the executive and legislature More material on Georgia, Chechnya and North Caucasus Debates over the question of democracy in Russia today, the nature of the system, and its future prospects Written in an accessible and lively style, this book is packed with detailed information on the central debates and issues in Russia's difficult transformation. This makes it the best available textbook on the subject and is essential reading for all those concerned with the fate of Russia, and with the future of international society.




The Energy of Russia


Book Description

This timely book analyses the status of hydrocarbon energy in Russia as both a saleable commodity and as a source of societal and political power. Through empirical studies in domestic and foreign policy contexts, Veli-Pekka Tykkynen explores the development of a hydrocarbon culture in Russia and the impact this has on its politics, identity and approach to climate change and renewable energy.







Russian Politics and Society


Book Description

Covering Russia's attempted move towards democracy, this text includes an evaluation of the collapse of the USSR, Gorbachev's reconstruction adn the creation of the Russian state. It examines the collapse of Soviet power through the Yeltsin years, assesses Yeltsin's legacy and Putin's first few months in office, and provides coverage of the 1999 State Duma Elections and the March 2000 election of President Putin.