A New Look at Russia in Transition

Abstract

While at times Post-Soviet Puzzles may be inconclusive or lack coverage of some important issues, it nevertheless presents valuable new perspectives. The low explanatory power of mainstream political studies on Russia and other post-Soviet entities is directly linked to their state-centered approach, so the need for different perspectives is growing. One perspective explores regional processes: these do not necessarily bring about disintegration, but neither are they always conducive to democratization. Another perspective examines the formation of and interaction between interest groups, assessing stability and changes in the existing political order. Taken together, these perspectives lead to the conclusion that current Russian transformations will give rise to a multi-speed and variable-geometry federation rather than a reinvigorated and assertive Great Power.