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book: How Russians Understand the New Russia
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How Russians Understand the New Russia

Consolidation and Contestation
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Language: English
Published/Copyright: 2025

About this book

The issues that are the most and the least divisive in Russia

The collapse of the Soviet Union in 1991 created a new Russia, with new territorial boundaries and new political and economic systems. The hybrid political economy that emerged incorporated commitments to markets and democracy that were undermined by the state’s economic interventions and authoritarian restrictions.

In this book, Paul Chaisty and Stephen Whitefield argue that the hybridity of the post-Soviet system provided a strong basis for the consolidation of Russian public opinion—and for the management of contestation so that it did not threaten the system itself. Drawing on almost thirty years of original public opinion research in Russia, Chaisty and Whitefield also find, however, that the territorial dimension of Russia’s postcommunist transformation has disrupted public support for the hybrid political economy. In particular, they trace the reopening of system-level disagreement between system supporters and system opponents to the nationalist turn in Russian politics that culminated in the 2014 annexation of Crimea and the reactivation of Soviet identities.

How Russians Understand the New Russia provides the first longitudinal study of Russian public opinion on the system of political and economic power that replaced communism. It offers unique insights into how Russian citizens have adapted their views of the new Russia, identifying the issues that are the most—and the least—divisive. Chaisty and Whitefield track Russian public opinion on a broad range of policy questions, discuss the political importance of both voting and not voting and consider problems of nation-building and national identity. Finally, they weigh the impact of the Ukraine war on Russia’s hybrid system, and whether consolidation or further contestation is more likely.

Author / Editor information

Paul Chaisty is professor of Russian and East European politics in the Department of Politics and International Relations, the Oxford School of Global and Area Studies and St Antony’s College, University of Oxford. He is the author of Legislative Politics and Economic Power in Russia and the coauthor of Coalitional Presidentialism in Comparative Perspective: Minority Presidents in Multiparty Systems. Stephen Whitefield is professor of comparative Russian and East European politics in the Department of Politics and International Relations and fellow in politics at Pembroke College, University of Oxford. He is the author of Industrial Power and the Soviet State and coauthor of The Strain of Representation: How Political Parties Represent Diverse Voters in Western and Eastern Europe.

Reviews

"Compelling and meticulously researched. . . . [How Russians Understand the New Russia] is a major contribution."---Galina Bogatova, Logos --- "Essential for understanding the evolution of post-Soviet Russia and offers valuable insights into the political trajectory that culminated in the invasion of Ukraine. It also makes a significant contribution to broader discussions of hybrid regimes, both in Russia and globally. . . . Highly-recommended." --- "[How Russians Understand the New Russia] packs a mighty punch."---Nadya Williams, Religion & Liberty

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    Frontmatter

    i
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    CONTENTS

    vii
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    FIGURES

    ix
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    TABLES

    xiii
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    PREFACE

    xv
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    Introduction. Russia’s Great Transformation and the Development of Its Hybrid Political Economy

    1
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    1 Theorising Consolidation and Contestation in Russia’s Hybrid Political Economy

    10
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    2 Researching Public Opinion on Russia’s Triple Transformation

    32
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    3 Hybridity and Support for Democracy and the Market

    42
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    4 Explaining Policy Preferences: System-Level or ‘Normal’ Contestation?

    58
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    5 How Russians Vote: Electoral Contestation and Non-Contestation in the Hybrid Political Economy

    85
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    6 The Politics of Opting Out: Views of the System and Non-Voters

    106
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    7 When Systems Collide: Hybridity and the Politics of State Identity

    121
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    Conclusion. The End of Hybridity. Forward to Democracy or Backwards to Authoritarianism? Russia in the Aftermath of the 2022 Ukraine Invasion

    136
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    Appendix

    145
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    Notes

    157
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    References

    169
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    Index

    183
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Publishing information
Pages and Images/Illustrations in book
eBook published on:
February 18, 2025
eBook ISBN:
9780691258669
Pages and Images/Illustrations in book
View content
https://doi.org/10.1515/9780691258669
eBook ISBN: 9780691258669
Keywords for this book
Russian; Russia; Market; Soviet; Policy; Economic; Party; Citizens; Contestation; Electoral; Democracy; Economy; Authoritarian; Hybrid; Voters; Consolidation; Regime; Democratic; Elections; Choice; Statist; Putin; Normative; Questions; Statist authoritarians; Democrats; Systems; Protest; Supporters; Politics; Analysis; Market democrats; Opposition; Divisions; Communist; Factors; Respondents; Stances; Elites; Candidates; Nation; Vote; Divide; Authoritarianism; Soviet identity; Opponents; Ethnic; Context; Interests; Power; Consolidators; Competition; Country; Vladimir; Nature; Government; Liberal; Survey; Efficacy; Pro; Vladimir putin; War; Research; Partisan; Mass; Institutions; Socio; Expectations; Orientations; Federation
Audience(s) for this book
For a non-specialist adult audience
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