Imitation democracy : the development of Russia's Post-Soviet political system / Dmitrii Furman ; translated by Ian Dreiblatt ; foreword by Keith Gessen ; afterword by Tony Wood.
"First published in Russian as Dvizhenie po spirali (Spiral Motion), Moscow 2010"--Title page verso. Includes bibliographical references and index.
Contents:
The fall of the Soviet State and the emergence of new political systems -- The development of Russia's political system -- 'The Golden Age': A developed system -- The growth of contradictions and movement toward a crisis of the political system -- In place of a conclusion: possible outcomes of the coming crisis.
Summary:
After the collapse of the Soviet Union, Russia under Yeltsin and Putin implemented a political system of "imitation democracy," marked by "a huge disparity between formal constitutional principles and the reality of authoritarian rule." How did this system take shape, how else might it have developed, and what are the prospects for re-envisioning it more democratically in the future? These questions animate Dmitrii Furman's Imitation Democracy, a welcome antidote to books that blandly decry Putin as an omnipotent dictator, without considering his platforms, constituencies, and sources of power. With extensive public opinion polling drawn from throughout the late- and post-Soviet period, and a thorough knowledge of both official and unofficial histories, Furman offers a definitive account of the formation of the modern Russian political system, casting it into powerful relief through comparisons with other post-Soviet states."-- Provided by publisher.
This resource is supported by the Institute of Museum and Library Services under the provisions of the Library Services and Technology Act as administered by State Library of Iowa.