Inside Putin's Russia

by Andrew Jack

He emerged from the shadows of the Soviet secret police and lowly government jobs to become the most powerful man in Russia. Since Vladimir Putin was propelled into the Kremlin in 2000, he has defied domestic and foreign expectations, by presiding over a period of strong economic growth, significant restructuring and rising international prestige. Yet Putin himself remains a man of mystery and contradictions; he has pursued an increasingly pro-western foreign policy and liberal economic reforms, while continuing a hardline war in Chechnya and introducing tighter controls over parliament, the regions and the media, moves which are reminiscent of the Soviet era. Putin's rise to power and assessing how he has performed in office and the changing nature of the Russia he rules. It draws on interviews with Putin himself, and a number of the country's leading figures, as well as many ordinary Russians. With his re-election imminent, it is possible to draw conclusions about Putin's thinking, style and effectiveness as president. The lessons are important for anyone interested in the recent past and future of Russia.

Genres: Russia, Politics, Political Science, Nonfiction

350 pages, Hardcover

First published October 22, 2004

Reviews

[Velika · Rating 2 out of 5]

A thick and very detailed, somewhat interesting, often stale account of Putin's rise. I got a fair bit out of the section about the Chechen/Russia concflict and the way the government, mostly Putin (seeing as the book was all about him and his ideas) went about that, and there were some other interesting stories about how the immense privitisation worked after the USSR. Then it got bogged down in a fairly wordy, repeatative and confusing detail in describing the so called 'rise of the Oligarchs' and how the government was going about influencing or controlling the media. It was also a bit too full of the usual stereotypes people trot out about the 'Russian people' and what they like in their leaders (being ruled by an iron fist it would seem...can't get enough of it) which were offensive. Before I got any further I realised the book was very overdue and I wasn't so interested in finishing it. 2 stars.

[Denise DeRocher · Rating 4 out of 5]

Excellent overall - better know some Russian history, politics as well as its economic structures before and after the Fall (so to speak). I taught a class called The USSR: History and Politics back in the Dark Ages, so was well prepared for this read.

[Chloe]

3.5 - quite good. However overly broad. Could have drawn a better comparison between Putin and De Gaulle (it was apparent that it was missing). Definitely knows his stuff, but also shows his Western bias through his choice of language