Russian politics : the paradox of a weak state / Marie Mendras.

Translation of: Russie, l'envers du pouvoir. - Paris : Odile Jacob, 2008.

Includes bibliographical references and index.

Machine generated contents note: 1. Myth of a Strong State: Legacy of the Empire and Autocracy -- Imperial State, not Nation State -- People, not a Nation -- Ruler Ruled but did not Govern -- Dilution of the State within the Soviet System -- State as an Instrument of Power -- 2. Domestic Reform and Opening to the World -- Opening Up: the End of the Besieged Fortress -- Central Relationship with the West -- Gorbachevs Perestroika and the Quest for Modernity -- Government Misinforms Itself -- Better Life -- Out of the Barrel -- Understanding the Unexpected -- Misunderstanding over Ideology -- Property and Free Vote: The Public-Private Separation at Stake -- Economic Sovereignty -- Paradox of Mistrust -- National Identity in the Turmoil of Change -- 3. Defeat of Constitutionalism -- First Elections: Sovereignty and Representation Put to the Test -- Calling in the Army and the End of Enchantment -- War in Chechnya -- Pitfalls of the New Presidentialism -- Disapproval of Yeltsin's Policies -- Communist Revival and the Protest Vote -- Temptation to Postpone the Elections -- Re-election of Yeltsin and the Òligarchs' -- Downward Spiral -- Financial Crash -- Leaders' Responsibility -- War Again -- Legislative Elections of 1999: Choosing Yeltsin's Successor -- Putin's Guaranteed Victory -- 4. Power of Bureaucracies -- Survival of the Administrative Elites -- Complexity and Diversity -- Federal Governance -- Consolidation of the Regional Systems under Yeltsin -- Administrative P̀aternalism' -- Local Powers -- Disparities -- Preference for Unclear and Unsettled Rules -- Bending the Rules -- 5. Hollowing out of Public Institutions -- Break with Yeltsin -- Violence and the Chechen Foe -- Putin I and Putin II -- Putin Consolidates his Power -- Antifederalism -- Increased Authoritarianism -- Dropping the Mask -- Putin's Re-election in 2004 -- Beslan: Exploiting Terrorism Politically -- C̀onstitutional Coup' of 13 September 2004 -- Stranglehold on Information and the Media -- Subverting Judicial Independence -- 6. Distrustful Society -- Withdrawing the Democratic Promise -- Freedoms -- Fears -- Low-Conflict Society? -- Submission or Consent? -- Putin's Image as Leader -- Willing Hostages? -- 7. Putin System: Unanimity and Autocracy -- Rotation in Office Refused: A Sure Sign of Autocracy -- Medvedev Scenario -- Plebiscite of 2 December, 2007 -- End of the Free and Pluralist Vote -- Legalizing the Designated Successor -- Why Keep Holding Elections? -- Imitating or Downgrading Democracy? -- Putin's Power and the Cult of Personality -- Voluntary Servitude? -- Putin III: The Unlikely Dyarchy -- 8. Putin System: Patronage and the Enrichment of the Elites -- Economic Growth, the Key to Consolidating the Political Regime -- Resources of Oligarchy -- Loyalty Paradigm -- Clientelism and Corruption -- Which Èlites'? -- Unstable Equilibrium -- 9. National Exceptionalism -- War in Georgia: A Turning Point -- Image of the Enemy -- Democratic Threat -- Terrorism and Èxtremism' -- Khodorkovsky: Second Act -- Imagined Community: A More and More Fragmented Russia -- Unequal Tandem.