Russian Politics and Society
Richard Sakwa
Language: English
Pages: 608
ISBN: 0415415284
Format: PDF / Kindle (mobi) / ePub
Having been fully revised and updated to reflect the considerable changes in Russia over the last decade, the fourth edition of this classic text builds on the strengths of the previous editions to provide a comprehensive and sophisticated analysis on Russian politics and society. New to this edition:
- extended coverage of electoral laws, party development and regional politics
- new chapter on the ‘phoney democracy’ period, 1991-93
- historical evaluation of Yeltsin’s leadership
- full coverage of Putin’s presidency
- discussion of the development of civil society and the problems of democratic consolidation
- latest developments in the Chechnya conflict
- more on foreign policy issues
- the re-introduction of the Russian Constitution as an appendix
- an updated Select Bibliography
- more focus on the challenges facing Russia in the twenty-first century.
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.
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The Gulag Archipelago, 1918-1956, Volume 1: An Experiment in Literary Investigation
Agrarian Reform in Russia: The Road from Serfdom
The Worlds of Russian Village Women: Tradition, Transgression, Compromise
A People's Tragedy: The Russian Revolution: 1891-1924
into law on 11 July 2001.48 Its main stipulations, which came into effect after a two-year transition period, were as follows (note that some of these points were superseded by later legislation, discussed below): • • • • • • Parties had to have a membership of at least 10,000 nation wide; with no fewer than 100 members in at least half (that is, in no fewer than 45) of Russia’s regions; and branches of at least 50 members in the others. Groups that failed to meet these conditions could be
assemblies have to be elected by PR galvanised party life in the regions. The emergence of United Russia as the putative hegemonic national party has the potential to transform the Russian party scene by bringing together power and electoral maximisation strategies of governing elites while provoking the counter-mobilisation of oppositional parties on a national scale even if kick-started from above, as was the case with Just Russia. A classic two-party system may yet emerge. The
desire to ensure a smooth transition to someone who would ensure his personal security and elite continuity. The Duma elections cleared the way for the coronation of the presidential heir apparent, Putin, and thus were only the first stage in a single electoral cycle. The political regime associated with Yeltsin proved able to reproduce itself; although the change of leader provoked modifications, the essentials of the political system established in the 1990s survived the succession. Beneath the
reference to any state ideology or religion and instead guarantees freedom of conscience, religion, thought and speech (Articles 28, 29) based on political pluralism and a multi-party system. It specifically states that ‘No ideology may be established as the state ideology or as a compulsory ideology’ (Article 13.2). However, this does not mean that the constitution is not an ideological document: it represents a clear commitment to certain values, including the notion of a ‘social’ and ‘secular’
considered a key representative of the siloviki. The siloviki group includes another former KGB officer, Viktor Ivanov, also a deputy head of the presidential administration, Patrushev, the head of the FSB, and the former Prosecutor General, Vladimir Ustinov. 102 Political institutions and processes The alleged pre-eminent role of the siloviki has been challenged by a number of studies. Renz has questioned whether the growth in silovik numbers is a conscious strategy by Putin to enhance their