[Gel'man] combines a deep knowledge of Russian political actors, processes, and institutions with a careful reading of relevant comparative politics literatures. He wears his learning lightly and the book is very readable. The result is a book that is both one of the best short introductions available to Russian political development and one of the most sophisticated.-- "Democratization"
An insightful and clearly explained analysis of political developments in Russia . . . a relatively short but sophisticated account of Russia's political development since the collapse of the Soviet Union in 1991, explaining why democracy failed to take root. It is a hugely readable book and avoids getting bogged down in detail (there is a lot to cover) whilst leaving you with the confidence that this is the work of someone with a deep knowledge of the Russian political system.-- "Journal of Soviet and Post-Soviet Politics and Society"
Few observers have the intellectual prowess or practical on-the-scene experience that Gel'man brings to his assessment of Russian political realities. The informed student of Russia takes any work by Gel'man seriously, and he does not disappoint in this important and insightful book. This volume should be mandatory reading for all students of Russian politics.-- "Slavonic and East European Review "
Gel'man is one of the most astute observers of Russia's political development. In this excellent monograph he has analyzed Russia's post-Community regimes, bringing together thorough research with a broad synthesis of recent theoretical work on authoritarianism. The produce is a valuable statement of Russia's political situation, offering both sobering analysis of the Putin elite and some hope for the future.-- "Russian Review"
One of the best and most readable up-to-date introductions to the history of post-Soviet Russia's regime developments available on the market today . . . Anyone interested in why Russia's leadership acts the way it does should read this book.-- "Soviet and Post-Soviet Review"
Provides an insightful account of political decision-making in Russia since the start of transition and largely advances our understanding of the logic behind regime change in the country. . . An excellent and very timely attempt to understand what is behind regime change in Russia. Provides deep insights into Russian policy-making and definitely deserves readers' attention. It greatly contributes to the scholarship on political transition and will be especially intriguing to political scientists and to everyone interested in Russian politics.-- "East European Politics"
Selcted as one of the "Six must read books on Russia from the last 25 years"by Johnson's Russia List: "In my opinion, [Authoritarian Russia] best explains the political backdrop in Russia today. . . . The author looks at the actions taken by Mikhail Gorbachev, which led to the Yeltsin regime and, in turn, the actions taken by Yeltsin that inevitably led to the Putin regime. He then identifies actions and changes made by Putin aimed at extending his position of power at least through another term. He looks at how the trappings of democratic institutions (such as elections and a legislature) have been used, especially by Yeltsin, to create the system of power the country has today. The book is also one of the very few which leaves emotion and bias out of the analysis, and looks pragmatically at what may happen next and what factors, over what period, may lead to changes."-- "Johnson's Russia List"
The empirical analysis of Authoritarian Russia is a rich synthesis of Russia's post-Soviet developments and recent theoretical advancements in the study of democratization and its authoritarian competitors.-- "Perspectives on Politics"
With this book, Vladimir Gel'man brings together his deep knowledge of the dynamics of the Russian regime and his serious grounding in political science to provide an interpretation of the evolution of the regime since 1991. The result is a masterful synthesis.-- "Thomas Remington, Emory University"