Russia in Search of its Future

The contributors to this book analyse a Russia which is searching for its future amid a maelstrom of complex forces - political, economic, socio-cultural, and international.

Amin Saikal (Edited by), William Maley (Edited by)

9780521483872, Cambridge University Press

Paperback, published 1 December 1994

252 pages
22.9 x 15.2 x 1.5 cm, 0.38 kg

"...an important contribution by analysts of international repute to the still limited literature on post-Soviet change....The strength of the contributions is in the authors' command and detailed use of Russian primary sources....Highly recommended." Choice

Russia's renewal since the collapse of Communism has proved extraordinarily disturbed, and was marked by escalating conflict between President Yeltsin and the Congress of People's Deputies inherited from the Soviet era. This culminated in insurrection and violence on the streets, and when the main rebels were given amnesty in February 1994, the situation remained as uncertain as ever. The contributors to this book analyse a Russia which is searching for its future amid a maelstrom of complex forces - political, economic, socio-cultural, and international. They examine each of these elements of Russia's situation and investigate the role that each may play in shaping Russia's fortunes into the twenty-first century. Their overall conclusion is that, whatever the exact shape of the future, it will be determined both by elements embedded over many generations, and the influence of seven decades of communist rule.

1. Introduction Amin Saikal and William Maley
Part I. Politics: 2. Russian politics in the time of troubles: some basic antinomies A. V. Obolonsky
3. Political leadership in post-Communist Russia Archie Brown
Part II. Economics: 4. The shape of the Russian macroeconomy William Maley
5. Reforming Russian agriculture: privatisation in comparative perspective Robert F. Miller
6. Privatisation of large-scale Russian industry Stephen Fortescue
Part III. International Relations: 7. From Soviet to Russian foreign policy Amin Saikal and William Maley
8. Russia's relations with the former external empire Leslie Holmes
9. Russia and Central Asia Amin Saikal
Part IV. Culture and Society: 10. Culture in Russia and Russian culture Sergei Serebriany
11. Reconstruction, deconstruction and the restoration of literature in Russia Peter Sawzak
12. Alternative visions of the Russian future John Miller
13. Conclusion: Russia in search of its future T. H. Rigby.

Subject Areas: Political structures: democracy [JPHV]