Rusia azi
Russia Today

Summary/Abstract: Putin came to power in a troubled period both for Europe and Russia – the wars on Yugoslavia and Chechnia. Russia under Yeltsin was marred by corruption, oligarchic powers and greed. In seven years, Putin succeeded in bringing Russia back in force on the world’s economic and political map, and in making his own person the most acclaimed contemporary Russian political personality. His mandate ends early next year but the Russians do not look eager to change him for another potential president. What makes him such a charismatic figure and fearful leader of today’s Russia? Petterson analyses thoroughly the situation in Russia both from a historical perspective and in the present extremely complex international and national context. On the other hand, the intellectuals do not hide their hostility against Putin and his regime, in private, but not in public – is it because of fear? Or because the liberal intelligentsia is compromised by its own part in bringing to being what it now so dislikes. Petterson mentions also articles and books of reference addressing Russia’s economic, social and political situation especially under Yeltsin and Putin and notes one of the authors who says that Putin has succeeded better than any of his predecessors to consolidate the transition from communism to capitalism (Andrew Jack). While Richard Pipes gives another explanation for Putin’s popularity: “precisely because he has Reinstated Russia’s traditional model of government: an autocratic state in which citizens are relieved of their responsibilities for politics and in which imaginary foreign enemies are invoked to forge an artificial unity”. What will be the future of Russia after Putin? What will be Putin’s future position in Russia? “Few peoples have had to undergo the variety of successive shocks… that Russia has endured in the last decade and a half… it is no surprise that the masses are… tired nd resistant to any public mobilizing. What they will eventually make of the new experiences remains to be seen…”.

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