The strong state in Russia : development and crisis / Andrei P. Tsygankov.

Format:

Book

Author/Creator:

Tsygankov, Andrei P., 1964- author.

Language:

English

Subjects (All):

Authoritarianism--Russia (Federation)--History.

Authoritarianism.

Despotism--Russia (Federation)--History.

Despotism.

Political culture--Russia (Federation)--History.

Political culture.

History.

Russia--Politics and government.

Russia.

Politics and government.

Soviet Union--Politics and government.

Soviet Union.

Russia (Federation)--Politics and government--1991-.

Russia (Federation).

State, The.

Political science.

Genre:

History.

Physical Description:

x, 259 pages ; 25 cm

Place of Publication:

New York, NY : Oxford University Press, [2014]

Summary:

The Russian state presents a mystery to outside observers. Although Russia was the site of some of the last century's most radical upheavals, and although Russian governments are usually characterized by autocracy, corruption, and political decay, the central government has retained a remarkable hold on the vast country. Does its historical progress represent change, or continuity? How has the political culture molded the expectations and behavior of the Russian people over time? What features of the Russian state are the keys to understanding it? The Strong State in Russia provides a succinct account of Russia's "strong state" model by reviewing the external and internal contexts in each major period and tracing its evolution over time. Every era saw the emergence and growth of a strong state as well as a subsequent decline, but in each the contexts combined in unique ways to produce very different political outcomes. Tsygankov argues that while the Western perspective on Russia is limited, there is an alternative way of thinking about the nation and its problems. Despite focusing on the contemporary Russian state, the book situates it in a broader historical continuity and explains that the roots of its development can be found in the tsar's autocratic system. Russia's strong state has evolved and survived throughout centuries, and that alone suggests its historical vitality and possible future revival. From this perspective, the central scholarly question is not whether Russia will recreate a strong state, but rather what kind of a strong state it will be, and under which circumstances it will likely function. Book jacket.

Contents:

1 Russia from Two Perspectives 3

2 The Roots of the Russian State: Autocracy 11

A Brief History

3 Emergence and Development 29

4 Decline and Revolution 47

5 The Soviet State 59

The Transition

6 The Soviet Breakup 75

7 The Smuta of the 1990s 87

The Revival

8 Putin's System 103

9 State-Led Capitalism 116

10 The Managed Democracy 130

11 The Normal Great Power 141

The Crisis

11 Protest 155

13 Ethno-Nationalism 167

14 Corruption 179

15 Tensions with the West 189

Conclusion

16 Whither the Russian State? 205.

Notes:

Includes bibliographical references and index.

ISBN:

9780199336203

0199336202

9780199336210

0199336210

OCLC:

879983259