On the late Dmitri Furman's account of post-Soviet Russia.

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We continue our discussions along this year's themes (rise and fall of nations; Russia past and present) by tackling Imitation Democracy: The Development of Russia's Post-Soviet Political System.

Why has there been a revival in interest in the late Soviet and early post-Soviet period? And in the global 1990s in general?

What does it really mean to be without-alternative?

Why didn't democracy take hold in Russia? And why did it become an "imitation democracy" and not something else?

How was Yeltsin a disaster? And what was Putin's appeal?

Does 'Putinism' actually exist? Is it interesting or novel in any way?

What happened after Furman's death and Russia's turn to "violent parody of the West"?

Readings:

Imitation Democracy: The Development of Russia's Post-Soviet Political System, Dmitri Furman, Verso

Imitation Democracies: The Post-Soviet Penumbra, Dmitri Furman, New Left Review (pdf)

Imitation Democracy: Perry Anderson writes about Dmitri Furman’s analysis of Russia’s post-communism, Perry Anderson, London Review of Books

Listening Links:

/114/ Reading Club: The Light That Failed - on the end of the "Age of Imitation"

/270/ Russia vs the West ft. Richard Sakwa - on the endgame to war in Ukraine; and /271/ Russia vs the West (2) ft. Richard Sakwa - on the post-Soviet landscape

/410/ Reading Club: Deutscher's Stalin - On Isaac Deutscher's classic Stalin: A Political Biography

/421/ Who Are the Wrong Ukrainians? ft. Volodymyr Ishchenko - on post-Soviet Ukraine, from Maidan to war

Music: Éva Csepregi, "O.K. Gorbacsov", Hungaroton , WEA, High Fashion Music, Dureco