Yeltsin's Russia And The West

by Andrew Felkay

Overview

Throughout history, strong-willed Russian autocrats have rescued their country from foreign domination, disorder, and possible chaos, often using the cruelest means to achieve their ends. Gorbachev tried to implement socialism with a human face in the Soviet Union, but failed. In the early 1990s, once again, Russia needed a strong hand to pull it out of chaos. In August 1991 Boris Yeltin emerged as such a leader, but unlike earlier strong leaders, he was determined to pull Russia out of the Communist morass and affect his country's integration with Western democracies through democratic means.

Felkay carefully analyzes the impact of Yeltsin on the newly evolving relationship between Russia and the Western democracies. But separating the process of formulating foreign and domestic policies would be impossible. From the onset, Yeltsin kept both reins of decision-making firmly in hand. Accordingly, Felkay assesses Yeltsin's effectiveness in moving his country toward democracy and a market economy, and he shows the ups and downs of his pro-Western foreign policies. This book provides an important analysis for scholars, students, and other researchers involved with Russian studies, international relations, and comparative politics.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780313013843
Publisher:	ABC-CLIO, Incorporated
Publication date:	05/30/2002
Sold by:	Barnes & Noble
Format:	eBook
File size:	396 KB

About the Author

ANDREW FELKAY is Professor of Russian Studies at Kutztown University. Among his earlier publications are Out of Russian Orbit (Greenwood Press, 1997) and Hungary and the USSR, 1956-1988 (Greenwood Press, 1989).

Table of Contents

Introduction

The Making of a Rebel

From Engineer to Party Activist

Falling from Grace and Reemergence

The Way to the Top

Struggle for Power

Yeltsin Takes Control

The Demise of the Soviet Union

Yeltsin Wins a New Constitution

Yeltsin and the West—The Early Years

Backlash of the Imposed Democracy

Cooling of Pro-Western Policies

Yeltsin Holds On

The 1996 Presidential Election

The Struggle against NATO's Expansion

Government Reshuffle and Economic Crisis

Challenges at Home and Abroad

Kosovo

The Search for a Successor

Yeltsin Had the Last Word

Conclusion

Selected Bibliography

Index