Synopses & Reviews
Bringing together leading Russian specialists from around the globe, this is a key assessment of the leadership of Vladimir Putin as he embarks upon his second term in the Kremlin.
Leading Russia highlights the ambiguities and contradictions inherent in the project of a leader using traditional heavy-handed methods to create a modern and efficient political and economic system.
Review
"...a notable tribute to Brown and a valuable addition to the literature on contemporary Russian politics. The quality of the essays in Leading Russia testifies to the stature of Archie Brown in the community of scholars of Soviet and post-Soviet politics, and to the enduring centrality of one of
Brown's long-term interests-the problem of political leadership." -- The Russian Review
"This is a significant book..."--Foreign Affairs
Review
"...a notable tribute to Brown and a valuable addition to the literature on contemporary Russian politics. The quality of the essays in Leading Russia testifies to the stature of Archie Brown in the community of scholars of Soviet and post-Soviet politics, and to the enduring centrality of one of Brown's long-term interests-the problem of political leadership." -- The Russian Review
"This is a significant book..."--Foreign Affairs
"Provides a sweeping survey of Putin's rule, covering his various reforms, relations with the oligarchs, development of regional policy, and the evolution of foreign ties. This book will be helpful to scholars seeking more depth in analyzing Putin's leadership than that provided in existing journalist's accounts." --Slavic Review
"...a notable tribute to Brown and a valuable addition to the literature on contemporary Russian politics. The quality of the essays in Leading Russia testifies to the stature of Archie Brown in the community of scholars of Soviet and post-Soviet politics, and to the enduring centrality of one of Brown's long-term interests-the problem of political leadership." -- The Russian Review
"The collection is a model of balanced discussion, avoiding the censorious tone that comes so easily to some failed democratizers, while providing detailed analysis of key areas of policy and political practice that fits naturally into the democratic evolutionist camp."--Comparative Politics
Table of Contents
1. Archie Brown, Alex Pravda
2. Introduction: Putin in Perspective, Alex Pravda
3. Putin: Rulership and the Russian Historical Tradition, Robert Service
4. On Strong and Weak Leaders and States: Russia in Comparative Post-Communist Perspective, Leslie Holmes
5. Presidential Cottails: Putin and the Duma Elections of 1999 and 2003, Timothy Colton
6. Majority Control and Executive Dominance: Relations Between Parliament and President in Putin's Russia, Paul Chaisty
7. Explaining Putin's Popularity and its Implications for Democracy in Russia, Stephen Whitefield
8. Putin as Patron: Cadres Policy in the Russian Transition, Eugene Huskey
9. Putin and the 'Oligarchs': A Two-Sided Commitment Problem, William Tompson
10. Putin's Reform of the Russian Federation, Neil Melvin
11. Putin's Political Choice: Towards Bureaucratic Authoritarianism, Lilia Shevtsova
12. Putin's Foreign Policy Choices, Andre Grachev
An Annotated Bibliography of Archie Brown's Published Work