Příklad recenze 3
Steven Rosefielde & Stefan Hedlund, Russia Since 1980. Wrestling with Modernization, published by Cambridge University Press, Cambridge 2009, 347 pages.
The book written by Steven Rosefielde, Professor of Economics at the University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, and by Stefan Hedlund, Professor of East European Studies at Uppsala University, is the fifth part of the Cambridge University Press series “The World Since 1980”. This study is considered by reviewers to be one of the most important contributions to the recent Soviet (Russian) history. The book is worth to be read because the authors assess not only last thirty years of the Soviet (Russian) history but poses also questions about the future development of Russia. Both authors are also deeply acquainted with old Russian history and tradition and aware of their impacts on recent and present development of Russia. In this sense they think whether the Russian future will be influenced more by the West globalized world or by “another variation of an authoritarian ‚Muscovite’ model that has prevailed for over five centuries”. According to the review by J. Peter Pham, James Madison University, “Professors Rosefielde and Hedlund argue convincingly that Russia, now once again resurgent thanks to its energy windfall, is pursuing the same strategic path to which authoritarian Muscovy has hewed for more than half a millennium”. Although the authors incline to the opinion that Russia under Putin and Medvedev aim to some version of the Muscovite model and illustrate it by many examples they however also argue on examples that Russia is deeply influenced by globalization, democratization, marketization, humanization and builds at least partly “a regime based on the rule of law and respect for civil rights”. The authors analyze all important trends of the Soviet Union (Russia) since 1980 particularly in the context of political, economic (especially these analysis are a real contribution), social, cultural and ideological history.
The book is divided into six parts. The first, entitled “Russia before 1980”, deals both with the western influences on Russian development and the assessment of Russia’s special characteristics “without it, analysts tend to assume that the economic, political, and societal foundations of Russia and the West are identical, that the only factor dividing them is relative backwardness, and that any unfinished business will be speedily completed, culminating in Russia’s full westernization”. The authors assess a long history in which Muscovite culture characterized by the idea that the ruler (duke, tsar, vozhd, president etc.) is an autocrat who de facto owns the whole country but the state paradoxically remains weak in practice; the authors demonstrate it in the second, third and fourth part on the examples of Gorbachev, Yeltsin and Putin era. The last two parts are detailed analysis of current position of Russia in terms of its inner and external politics, its economic prospects etc.
Gorbachev turning point period leading to the collapse of the Communist system is explained particularly in economic terms. The authors argue that economic system, “inefficient, corrupt, and reprehensible in a myriad of ways” was not destroyed “by liberalized command economy devised after 1953” being “marked for death” but by “Gorbachev’s tolerance and complicity in allowing privateers to misappropriate state revenues, pilfer materials, spontaneously privatize, and hotwire ill-gotten gains abroad, all of which disorganized production”. Yeltsin era is viewed by authors as demolition of old institutions, such as the planning (accompanied by a shock therapeutic privatization program), communist control institutions, and social institutions; instead he built power through his supporters (oligarchs etc.). Yeltsin “metamorphosis from Reform Communism to Market Muscovy” accompanied by deep economic bankruptcy is characterized as unsuccessful: “Russia could have successfully westernized and responsibly managed its public policy, but it didn’t.” Putin, according to Rosefielde and Hedlund, accomplished the “authoritarian reconsolidation” by using Stalin’s tactic in building a network of his supporters and compromising rivals (for example Berezovsky, Gusinsky and Khodorkovsky); the role of the state was in comparison with Yeltsin even elevated.
The book by Rosefielde and Hedlund is based on relatively large bibliography and notes which includes the most important studies (monographs and articles), reports, internet resources and other sources in English and Russian language about the Soviet Union (Russia) in last thirty years. The book also includes an excellent index, glossary, many tables, graphs etc. The paperback publication is well elaborated and bears evidence of an excellent work not only of the authors but also the publishing house Cambridge University Press. This study should be read by all research workers dealing with modern Soviet (Russian) history.
Stanislav Tumis
The book written by Steven Rosefielde, Professor of Economics at the University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, and by Stefan Hedlund, Professor of East European Studies at Uppsala University, is the fifth part of the Cambridge University Press series “The World Since 1980”. This study is considered by reviewers to be one of the most important contributions to the recent Soviet (Russian) history. The book is worth to be read because the authors assess not only last thirty years of the Soviet (Russian) history but poses also questions about the future development of Russia. Both authors are also deeply acquainted with old Russian history and tradition and aware of their impacts on recent and present development of Russia. In this sense they think whether the Russian future will be influenced more by the West globalized world or by “another variation of an authoritarian ‚Muscovite’ model that has prevailed for over five centuries”. According to the review by J. Peter Pham, James Madison University, “Professors Rosefielde and Hedlund argue convincingly that Russia, now once again resurgent thanks to its energy windfall, is pursuing the same strategic path to which authoritarian Muscovy has hewed for more than half a millennium”. Although the authors incline to the opinion that Russia under Putin and Medvedev aim to some version of the Muscovite model and illustrate it by many examples they however also argue on examples that Russia is deeply influenced by globalization, democratization, marketization, humanization and builds at least partly “a regime based on the rule of law and respect for civil rights”. The authors analyze all important trends of the Soviet Union (Russia) since 1980 particularly in the context of political, economic (especially these analysis are a real contribution), social, cultural and ideological history.
The book is divided into six parts. The first, entitled “Russia before 1980”, deals both with the western influences on Russian development and the assessment of Russia’s special characteristics “without it, analysts tend to assume that the economic, political, and societal foundations of Russia and the West are identical, that the only factor dividing them is relative backwardness, and that any unfinished business will be speedily completed, culminating in Russia’s full westernization”. The authors assess a long history in which Muscovite culture characterized by the idea that the ruler (duke, tsar, vozhd, president etc.) is an autocrat who de facto owns the whole country but the state paradoxically remains weak in practice; the authors demonstrate it in the second, third and fourth part on the examples of Gorbachev, Yeltsin and Putin era. The last two parts are detailed analysis of current position of Russia in terms of its inner and external politics, its economic prospects etc.
Gorbachev turning point period leading to the collapse of the Communist system is explained particularly in economic terms. The authors argue that economic system, “inefficient, corrupt, and reprehensible in a myriad of ways” was not destroyed “by liberalized command economy devised after 1953” being “marked for death” but by “Gorbachev’s tolerance and complicity in allowing privateers to misappropriate state revenues, pilfer materials, spontaneously privatize, and hotwire ill-gotten gains abroad, all of which disorganized production”. Yeltsin era is viewed by authors as demolition of old institutions, such as the planning (accompanied by a shock therapeutic privatization program), communist control institutions, and social institutions; instead he built power through his supporters (oligarchs etc.). Yeltsin “metamorphosis from Reform Communism to Market Muscovy” accompanied by deep economic bankruptcy is characterized as unsuccessful: “Russia could have successfully westernized and responsibly managed its public policy, but it didn’t.” Putin, according to Rosefielde and Hedlund, accomplished the “authoritarian reconsolidation” by using Stalin’s tactic in building a network of his supporters and compromising rivals (for example Berezovsky, Gusinsky and Khodorkovsky); the role of the state was in comparison with Yeltsin even elevated.
The book by Rosefielde and Hedlund is based on relatively large bibliography and notes which includes the most important studies (monographs and articles), reports, internet resources and other sources in English and Russian language about the Soviet Union (Russia) in last thirty years. The book also includes an excellent index, glossary, many tables, graphs etc. The paperback publication is well elaborated and bears evidence of an excellent work not only of the authors but also the publishing house Cambridge University Press. This study should be read by all research workers dealing with modern Soviet (Russian) history.
Stanislav Tumis
Zuletzt geändert: Donnerstag, 27. September 2012, 14:44