Publishers Weekly
02/22/2021
Frye (Property Rights and Property Wrongs), a professor of foreign policy at Columbia University, offers a nuanced look at Russian leader Vladimir Putin’s political playbook. According to Frye, Putin is not invincible; high-level inner conflicts and dicey trade-offs between policies that reward his cronies and those that benefit the public continually threaten his hold on power. Frye compares Putin to Turkey’s Recep Tayyip Erdogan, Hungary’s Viktor Orban, and other “personalist” autocrats who rely on vulnerable personal networks to remain in control, and draws on surveys, interviews, and research by contemporary social scientists to argue that Putin’s popularity has faltered as public enthusiasm for the 2014 annexation of Crimea has waned and falling oil prices have contributed to economic stagnation. Since mass protests in 2011 over voting fraud, Russia has become increasingly repressive—a clear sign, Frye contends, that the tools Putin uses to stay in power, including cyberwarfare, media manipulation, and the funding of illiberal movements in the West, are faltering. Whether or not Putin decides to run for reelection in 2024, Frye surmises, “Russia’s next few years will likely be rocky.” Though readers who closely follow Russian politics will find Frye’s conclusions unsurprising, his research is impressive. This timely, evidence-based account persuades. (Apr.)
From the Publisher
"With deft prose, deep and insightful analysis, and considerable supporting evidence, Frye not only counters, but dismantles, the overly simplistic and lazy narratives of Russia under Putin."—-Joshua Huminski, Diplomatic Courier
"Frye’s splendid book is a major contribution to the literature."—-Alexander Brakel, Israel Journal of Foreign Affairs
"In short, a sober assessment about Russia and Putin has never been more needed. Thankfully, Tim Frye has provided that assessment, and successfully so, one that is written in clear prose and intended for a general audience. It will appeal to a wide readership, including scholars and others who do not focus on Russia but want to know more, political scientists who do focus on Russia and will find the broad survey of research helpful, and students who want to get up to speed on what the field of political science can tell us about Russian politics."—-Stephen Crowley, Perspectives on Politics
"Frye’s book is a reminder that there is more to Russian politics than Putin, no matter how much he might dominate our attention."—-Neil Robinson, Irish Independent
"An exceptionally timely and prescient treatise."—-Aleksandar Matovski, Asia Policy
"This is an essential book that unravels the usual thinking about Vladimir Putin and his hold on power"—-Yanina Sorokina, Moscow Times
"
Comparative. . . .This is comparative politics at its best, and a timely reassessment of
Russian politics that is likely to withstand the test of time.
"—-Lavinia Stan, European Legacy
Diplomatic Courier
"With deft prose, deep and insightful analysis, and considerable supporting evidence, Frye not only counters, but dismantles, the overly simplistic and lazy narratives of Russia under Putin."
