Russian politics and society - Richard Sakwa

Since first publication in 1993, Russian Politics and Society has become a standard text. Its detailed coverage of the major processes and issues in the development of post-communist Russian politics and society make it an indispensable guide to a fast-changing scene. This new edition is thoroughly revised and reorganised, bringing the debates and material up to date.;It covers: * the reasons for the fall of the Soviet regime and its legacy for the reborn Russian state * an examination of political institutions and processes covering the new constitutional order, the emergence of a strong executive, Russian parliamentarianism and the emerging party system * a discussion of the relationship between federalism, nationalism, regionalism and localism * Russian economy and society, including a discussion of economic reform, social transformation and cultural change * an exploration of foreign policy, defence and security policy, state and nation building in the other fourteen post-Soviet republics, the Commonwealth of Independent States and the problem of borders, migration and citizenship * an examination of the achievements and prospects of democracy in Russia Russian Politics and Society seeks to evaluate the evidence in a balanced and subtle way, denying simplistic assumptions about the inevitable failure of the democratic experiment in Russia while avoiding facile generalisations on the inevitable triumph of global integration and democratization.;Essential reading for those concerned with the fate of Russia and with the future of international society.