M. Steven Fish Books

Presents a fresh view of Russian political change in the Gorbachev and early post-Soviet periods not by examining perestroika and glasnost in and of themselves, but by investigating the autonomous political organizations that responded to liberalization. This book proposes a novel and theoretical way to study Russian politics.

In this book, M. Steven Fish explores why democracy has not succeeded in Russia post-Soviet Union. He identifies three main causes: heavy reliance on oil, insufficient economic liberalization, and a weak national legislature, challenging other explanations tied to history or political culture.