1 Approaches to contemporary Russia
-
Edwin Bacon
Abstract
For most of the twentieth century Russia was markedly more authoritarian than it is today. Nonetheless, many observers of Russia in the first decade of the twenty-first century see a country increasingly moving back to authoritarianism, in comparison with the democratising moves and mood of the 1990s. This chapter places developments in contemporary Russia within the empirical and analytical contexts of the post-Soviet period. There is an apparent duality about both of these contexts, and this duality is centred on the issue of democratisation. Since President Putin's election in 2000, many observers have remarked on the ‘two faces’ of Vladimir Putin — is he a democratic or an authoritarian leader? Legitimate though this question undoubtedly is, this chapter argues that its inherent duality arises partly from the dominant analytical frameworks of the post-Soviet era, and militates against a more holistic and explanatory understanding of the current Russian regime. It also outlines the securitisation approach and assesses its applicability to domestic politics in contemporary Russia, focusing on areas such as security and the Chechen conflict, economic policy, and migration policy.
Abstract
For most of the twentieth century Russia was markedly more authoritarian than it is today. Nonetheless, many observers of Russia in the first decade of the twenty-first century see a country increasingly moving back to authoritarianism, in comparison with the democratising moves and mood of the 1990s. This chapter places developments in contemporary Russia within the empirical and analytical contexts of the post-Soviet period. There is an apparent duality about both of these contexts, and this duality is centred on the issue of democratisation. Since President Putin's election in 2000, many observers have remarked on the ‘two faces’ of Vladimir Putin — is he a democratic or an authoritarian leader? Legitimate though this question undoubtedly is, this chapter argues that its inherent duality arises partly from the dominant analytical frameworks of the post-Soviet era, and militates against a more holistic and explanatory understanding of the current Russian regime. It also outlines the securitisation approach and assesses its applicability to domestic politics in contemporary Russia, focusing on areas such as security and the Chechen conflict, economic policy, and migration policy.
Chapters in this book
- Front matter i
- Contents v
- List of tables and figures vii
- Preface ix
- Acknowledgements xi
- List of abbreviations xiii
- Introduction xv
- 1 Approaches to contemporary Russia 1
- 2 The security forces 22
- 3 The Chechen conflict 48
- 4 The media 76
- 5 Civil society 102
- 6 Migration 126
- 7 The economy 151
- 8 Conclusion 177
- Select bibliography 191
- Index 197
Chapters in this book
- Front matter i
- Contents v
- List of tables and figures vii
- Preface ix
- Acknowledgements xi
- List of abbreviations xiii
- Introduction xv
- 1 Approaches to contemporary Russia 1
- 2 The security forces 22
- 3 The Chechen conflict 48
- 4 The media 76
- 5 Civil society 102
- 6 Migration 126
- 7 The economy 151
- 8 Conclusion 177
- Select bibliography 191
- Index 197
