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i “Knowledge and understanding of Russian society and its political trajectories have seldom been more important than they are today. Graeme Gill, a highly respected and insightful Russian expert, has brought together, in this Handbook of remarkable scope, an outstanding international team of specialists who illuminate almost every aspect of post-C ommunist Russia.” Archie Brown, University of Oxford, UK, and author of The Rise and Fall of Communism “This timely update provides a comprehensive and authoritative guide to Russian politics. Gill has brought together many of the world’s leading experts in a single volume, who are able to provide a state- of- the- art overview of current knowledge on their topic. An outstanding and indispensable contribution to Russian studies.” Brian D. Taylor, Syracuse University, USA “This book combines excellent scholarship from the leading experts in the field of Russian politics and society with a broad and almost exhaustive range of addressed topics. Undoubtedly, this nuanced overview presented so nicely will be a useful read for both newbies and academics who specialise on Russia.” Guzel Yusupova, SCRIPTS, Berlin, Germany i i i ii ROUTLEDGE HANDBOOK OF RUSSIAN POLITICS AND SOCIETY This second edition of the highly respected Routledge Handbook of Russian Politics and Society both provides a broad overview of the area and highlights cutting- edge research into the country. Through balanced theoretical and empirical investigation, each chapter examines both the Russian experience and the existing literature, identifies and exemplifies research trends, and highlights the richness of experience, history, and continued challenges inherent to this endur- ingly fascinating and shifting polity. Politically, economically, and socially, Russia has one of the most interesting development trajectories of any major country. This Handbook answers questions about democratic transition, the relationship between the market and democracy, stability and authoritarian politics, the development of civil society, the role of crime and corruption, the development of a market economy, and Russia’s likely place in the emerging new world order. Providing a comprehensive resource for scholars, students, and policy makers alike, this book is an essential contribution to the study of Russian studies/p olitics, Eastern European studies/ politics, and International Relations. Graeme Gill is Professor Emeritus at the University of Sydney, Australia. i v v ROUTLEDGE HANDBOOK OF RUSSIAN POLITICS AND SOCIETY Second Edition Edited by Graeme Gill v i Designed cover image: © Getty Images Second edition published 2023 by Routledge 4 Park Square, Milton Park, Abingdon, Oxon OX14 4RN and by Routledge 605 Third Avenue, New York, NY 10158 Routledge is an imprint of the Taylor & Francis Group, an informa business © 2023 selection and editorial matter, Graeme Gill; individual chapters, the contributors The right of Graeme Gill to be identified as the author of the editorial material, and of the authors for their individual chapters, has been asserted in accordance with sections 77 and 78 of the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988. All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reprinted or reproduced or utilised in any form or by any electronic, mechanical, or other means, now known or hereafter invented, including photocopying and recording, or in any information storage or retrieval system, without permission in writing from the publishers. Trademark notice: Product or corporate names may be trademarks or registered trademarks, and are used only for identification and explanation without intent to infringe. First edition published by Routledge 2012 British Library Cataloguing- in- Publication Data A catalogue record for this book is available from the British Library ISBN: 978- 1- 032- 11052- 3 (hbk) ISBN: 978- 1- 032- 11058- 5 (pbk) ISBN: 978- 1- 003- 21823- 4 (ebk) DOI: 10.4324/ 9781003218234 Typeset in Bembo by Newgen Publishing UK v ii CONTENTS List of figures xii List of tables xiii List of contributors xv Preface xxi Abbreviations xxii PART 1 Introduction 1 1 Introduction 3 Graeme Gill 2 The Yeltsin era 12 Graeme Gill 3 The Putin era 22 Vladimir Gel’man 4 Democratisation 33 Richard Sakwa 5 How Russia compares 46 Rodney Tiffen vii v iii Contents PART 2 Politics 61 6 Vladimir Putin: Great leader or ordinary authoritarian? 63 Kenneth Wilson 7 The Russian Constitution 75 Elizabeth Teague 8 The presidency 87 John P. Willerton 9 The Federal Assembly – more than just a “rubber stamp”? 99 Ben Noble and Paul Chaisty 10 National elections in Russia 111 Derek S. Hutcheson 11 State intervention and Russia’s frozen dominant party system 127 Regina Smyth 12 Local government 138 Nikolay Petrov 13 Federalism and de- federalisation in Russia 149 Cameron Ross 14 Centre- regional relations in Russia 160 Irina Busygina and Mikhail Filippov 15 Politics in Russian regions 170 Alexander Libman 16 Decision- making 182 Stephen Fortescue 17 State capacity and Russia 193 Andrei Melville 18 Russia’s retreat from human rights 207 William Pomeranz 19 Protest and opposition 216 Jan Matti Dollbaum viii i x Contents 20 The security services 227 Kirill Shamiev and Bettina Renz 21 The military 239 Jennifer G. Mathers PART 3 Political economy 251 22 Political economy 253 Neil Robinson 23 Crony capitalism in contemporary Russia and what globalisation has to do with it 263 Gulnaz Sharafutdinova 24 The Russian corporation: Between neoliberalism and the security state 274 Peter Rutland 25 Russian international economic policy: Purposes and performance 285 Steven Rosefielde PART 4 Society 297 26 Russian population dynamics in the Putin era 299 Leslie Root 27 Inequality in Russia 311 Svetlana Mareeva 28 Russian labour: Between stability and stagnation 320 Stephen Crowley 29 Gender in Russia: State policy and lived reality 331 Sarah Ashwin 30 The rise of a hybrid welfare state in Putin’s Russia: Social welfare under authoritarianism 342 Elena Maltseva 31 Media and culture in Putin’s Russia 354 Galina Miazhevich ix