Corruption, fake news, and the "informational autocracy" sustaining Putin in power. After fading into the background for many years following the collapse of the Soviet Union, Russia suddenly has emerged as a new threat-at least in the minds of many Westerners. But Western assumptions about Russia, and in particular about political decision-making in Russia, tend to be out of date or just plain wrong. Under the leadership of Vladimir Putin since 2000, Russia is neither a somewhat reduced version of the Soviet Union nor a classic police state. Corruption is prevalent at all levels of government and business, but Russia's leaders pursue broader and more complex goals than one would expect in a typical kleptocracy, such as those in many developing countries. Nor does Russia fit the standard political science model of a "competitive authoritarian" regime; its parliament, political parties, and other political bodies are neither fakes to fool the West nor forums for bargaining among the elites. The result of a two-year collaboration between top Russian experts and Western political scholars, Autocracy explores the complex roles of Russia's presidency, security services, parliament, media and other actors.
Daniel Treisman is a professor of Political Science at the University of California, Los Angeles, and founding director of the Russia Political Insight project (russiapoliticalinsight.com). His latest book is The Return: Russia's Journey from Gorbachev to Medvedev, The Free Press, 2011.
Preface 1. Introduction: Rethinking Putin's Political Order 2. Inside the Kremlin: The Presidency and Executive Branch 3. Not Just a Rubber Stamp: Parliament and Law-making 4. The Siloviki in Russian Politics 5. Regional Elites and Moscow 6. The Role of Business in Shaping Economic Policy 7. Media in Russia: Between Modernization and Monopoly 8. Public Opinion and Russian Politics 9. The Courts, Law Enforcement, and Politics 10. Civic and Political Activism in Russia 11. Crimea: Anatomy of a Decision About the Contributors Index
[T]his excellent edited volume is an important and relevant work that should be read widely by students of Russian politics. [...] Treisman is to be congratulated for shepherding this volume to a very satisfactory final product, which will be of great relevance to scholars for years as we come to grips with the political and policy dynamics of the Russian Federation in the current era." - Europe-Asia Studies, 70.10 (2019) "This edited work pulls together the thoughts of academic specialists in Russia and the US. The authors rely on interviews, official records, and important data in reaching their insightful conclusions. Reflections on the new authoritarianism after the 2012 presidential elections and 2014 Crimean crisis are penetrating. The temporary abolition of gubernatorial elections as well as the lengthening of the terms of the president and members of the Duma are key illustrations of that evolution toward authoritarianism. Analysis of significant governmental institutions provides further information that helps build a realistic picture of the situation today. Recommended." -CHOICE
