Politics and Economics in Putin's Russia

Edited by Dr. Stephen J. Blank.

December 2013

224 Pages

Brief Synopsis

In one way or another, the papers included in this monograph, from the Strategic Studies Institute’s annual conference on Russia in May 2012, all point to the internal pathologies that render Russian security a precarious affair at the best of times. As the editor suggests, the very fact of this precariousness makes Russia an inherently unpredictable and even potentially dangerous actor, not necessarily because it will actively attack its neighbors, though we certainly cannot exclude that possibility, but rather because Russia may come apart trying to play the role of a great power in Eurasia or elsewhere. As we all know, that outcome happened in 1917 and in 1989-91, with profound implications for international security and U.S. interests.

Contents

Foreword

1. Introduction: Politics and Economics in Putin’s Russia: What do They Mean for the U.S. Army?
Stephen J. Blank

2. Russian Economic Reform 2012: “Dèjà vu All Over Again”
Steven Rosefielde

3. Economic Reform Under Putin 2.0: Will Petrodollars Suffice to Keep the Ship Afloat?
Stefan Hedlund

4. Authoritarianism and Modernization in Russia: Is Russia Ka-Putin?
Harley Balzer

5. Russia as a Pole of Power: Putin’s Regional Integration Agenda
Janusz Bugajski

About the Contributors

Access Full Report [PDF]: Politics and Economics in Putin's Russia