Ruling Russia : Authoritarianism from the Revolution to Putin

William Zimmerman

ISBN 10: 0691169322 / ISBN 13: 9780691169323

Verlag: Princeton University Press Mär 2016, 2016

Beschreibung

Neuware - When the Soviet Union collapsed, many hoped that Russias centuries-long history of autocratic rule might finally end. Yet todays Russia appears to be retreating from democracy, not progressing toward it. Ruling Russia is the only book of its kind to trace the history of modern Russian politics from the Bolshevik Revolution to the presidency of Vladimir Putin. It examines the complex evolution of communist and post-Soviet leadership in light of the latest research in political science, explaining why the democratization of Russia has all but failed. William Zimmerman argues that in the 1930s the USSR was totalitarian but gradually evolved into a normal authoritarian system, while the post-Soviet Russian Federation evolved from a competitive authoritarian to a normal authoritarian system in the first decade of the twenty-first century.

Bestandsnummer des Verkäufers 9780691169323

Bibliografische Details

• Titel: Ruling Russia : Authoritarianism from the Revolution to Putin
• Verlag: Princeton University Press Mär 2016
• Erscheinungsjahr: 2016
• Sprache: Englisch
• ISBN-10: 0691169322
• ISBN-13: 9780691169323
• Einband: Taschenbuch
• Zustand: Neu
• Abmessungen: 233B x 154 H x 27 T Millimeter Breite: 233 mm, Höhe: 154 mm, Tiefe: 27 mm
• Gewicht: 508 Gramm

Über diesen Titel

Inhaltsangabe

When the Soviet Union collapsed, many hoped that Russia's centuries-long history of autocratic rule might finally end. Yet today's Russia appears to be retreating from democracy, not progressing toward it. Ruling Russia is the only book of its kind to trace the history of modern Russian politics from the Bolshevik Revolution to the presidency of Vladimir Putin. It examines the complex evolution of communist and post-Soviet leadership in light of the latest research in political science, explaining why the democratization of Russia has all but failed. William Zimmerman argues that in the 1930s the USSR was totalitarian but gradually evolved into a normal authoritarian system, while the post-Soviet Russian Federation evolved from a competitive authoritarian to a normal authoritarian system in the first decade of the twenty-first century. He traces how the selectorate--those empowered to choose the decision makers--has changed across different regimes since the end of tsarist rule. The selectorate was limited in the period after the revolution, and contracted still further during Joseph Stalin's dictatorship, only to expand somewhat after his death. Zimmerman also assesses Russia's political prospects in future elections. He predicts that while a return to totalitarianism in the coming decade is unlikely, so too is democracy. Rich in historical detail, Ruling Russia is the first book to cover the entire period of the regime changes from the Bolsheviks to Putin, and is essential reading for anyone seeking to understand why Russia still struggles to implement lasting democratic reforms.

Über die Autorin bzw. den Autor

William Zimmerman is professor emeritus of political science at the University of Michigan, where he is also research professor emeritus at the Institute for Social Research.