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Putin's Russia: Life in a Failing Democracy | 
 enlarge | Author: Anna Politkovskaya
Publisher: Holt Paperbacks
Category: Book
List Price: $16.00
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Rating:  22 reviews
Sales Rank: 22086
Media: Paperback
Number Of Items: 1
Pages: 288
Shipping Weight (lbs): 0.5
Dimensions (in): 8 x 5.4 x 1
ISBN: 0805082506
Dewey Decimal Number: 947.086
EAN: 9780805082500
ASIN: 0805082506
Publication Date: January 9, 2007
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Product Description
A searing portrait of a country in disarray, and of the man at its helm, from “the bravest of journalists” (The New York Times) Hailed as “a lone voice crying out in a moral wilderness” (New Statesman), Anna Politkovskaya made her name with her fearless reporting on the war in Chechnya. Now she turns her steely gaze on the multiple threats to Russian stability, among them President Putin himself.
Putin’s Russia depicts a far-reaching state of decay. Politkovskaya describes an army in which soldiers die from malnutrition, parents must pay bribes to recover their dead sons’ bodies, and conscripts are even hired out as slaves. She exposes rampant corruption in business, government, and the judiciary, where everything from store permits to bus routes to court appointments is for sale. And she offers a scathing condemnation of the ongoing war in Chechnya, where kidnappings, extrajudicial killings, rape, and torture are begetting terrorism rather than fighting it.
Sounding an urgent alarm, Putin’s Russia is both a gripping portrayal of a country in crisis and the testament of a great and intrepid reporter.
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| Customer Reviews: Read 17 more reviews...
The corrupt has been empire of Russia. January 5, 2009
The author shows how Russia is not like the West. Russia has no rule of laws where the judiciary is independent of the legislature or the executive. What is the rule of law is power and money and this is shown in the specific cases the author points too. If you have either power or money, you are favored by the interests. If not, you might as well be a slave to the system. Soldiers in the military are slaves to their officers. Judges are slaves to the capitalists who pay them. The common people are slaves to the people who pay them (or don't). Nothing is as it should be in like in the West. For anyone doubting it, the person responsible for this situation is Vladimir Putin who pulls the strings. Russia is not a budding democracy but a dictatorship.
This will jarr the reader's feeling about what is happening in Russia. Much effort has gone into making Russia a democracy but as the author points out, it has been wasted as the country steers toward an authoritarian state. An interesting read.
 From a History major... December 20, 2008
0 out of 1 found this review helpful
I don't give much credit to journalists; I believe they tend to stir up more controversy then what they report on. Therefore, I have no qualms stating that I don't give much credit to Anna Politkovskaya or her book Putin's Russia. Politkovskaya does a wonderful job at pointing out various flaws in Putin's Russia but she never has suggestions on how to solve the flaws (other than removing Putin from power, which is only implied).
The stories she relays, a mother fighting to recover her son's body, a group of soldiers defecting from the army in order to avoid beatings, a general that is pardoned for the rape and murder of a young Chechen girl are all very heart-wrenching, appalling even. But not one story comes as a surprise.
The biggest issue I take with this book, besides its whiney narrative, is the fact that Politkovskaya tries to blame all of Russia's problems on a single man, Vladimir Putin. The idea that Putin is responsible for all the troubles that Russia faces is entirely laughable and doesn't take into consideration the policies that Putin inherited from previous regimes. It almost seems as if Politkovskaya is trying to manipulate her readers into criticizing Putin, a point of view that doesn't sit well with many Russians (they did, after all, elect him President twice).
For example, one of the major sticking points in this book is Politkovskaya's condemnation of the appalling conditions in the military. Does she not take into consideration that the military was enduring the same `appalling conditions' during the Afghanistan War in the early 80s? She also rants and raves about the control of the Russian economy by organized crime. Does she forget Yeltsin's "family" and the controlling oligarchy that ruled during the early 90s? Corruption of government bureaucracy, which has come to partly define the Yeltsin administration, threw the economy into recession and impoverished the Russian people. Even worse, the corruption present in Yeltsin's administration skewed public perception of what "Western style democracy" consisted of, only serving to enhance the "Family" and other members of the oligarchy.
Yet, it seems that Politkovskaya forgets that the activities that went on during the Putin administration only reflect the activities that went on during previous administrations. Putin, above all, would have had to have known what kind of power government corruption could bring. After all, wasn't it Putin's role in keeping Yeltsin from being investigated by the Prosecutor General of Russia, Yuri Skuratov that helped him to secure his appointment to Prime Minister in 1999?
Stagnation, I believe, is a word that Politkovskaya should be very familiar with. She did say that she was "a 45-year old Muscovite who observed the Soviet Union at its most disgraceful in the 1970s and `80s." Therefore, she would have known full well what life during the Era of Stagnation under Brezhnev was like. Couldn't she see the parallels? Under Brezhnev, the communist oligarchy was allowed to enjoy their life and the perks available to them through corruption. How is life under Brezhnev different than post-Soviet life under Yeltsin and then again under Putin? While presenting factual issues that plague modern Russia, the book's title is intentionally misleading. Politkovskaya tries to cynically manipulate her readers into believing that all Russia's problems were created by former President Putin, with mostly varying degrees of success, or in my case, failure.
In fact, it is almost the exact opposite. Putin didn't create Russia's problems that Politkovskaya outlines; he simply has done nothing to correct them. Perhaps my western cynicism clashes with Russian optimism, but did Politkovskaya truly believe that Russia could lose all traces of the Soviet Union? Does any Russian? I don't believe that the almost authoritarian power that the Russian president, especially former president Putin, holds will ever be willingly given up. And why should it? The Russian population has overwhelmingly proven that they supported Putin and his policies; over 70% of the population supported Putin in May of 2007.
So, where does Politkovskaya get this idea that Putin has destroyed Russia? It must come from a false sense of hope that Russia can erase all traces of the Soviet Union from its history. Putin hasn't destroyed Russia but rather continued policies that resemble Soviet ones. But what other way does Russia know? The Russian people have never truly been free to begin with; Russia's history started with autocracy and serfdom, ruled by a tsar with absolute power over all people and all land. All the Russians have every really known has been a government that has complete and absolute control over their lives. So, does it come as a complete surprise that they continue to elect rulers that will continue and expand policies that resemble those that they are already familiar with? And with Yeltsin poisoning the people with such a corrupted view of democracy, can they ever peacefully exist under a true democracy to begin with? Or even a representative democracy? Very unlikely.
So, what is Politkovskaya trying to accomplish with this book? It is surely a scathing review of Putin and his policies that deserves recognition for the atrocities that it uncovers, but it accomplishes nothing. The book didn't (or at least hasn't yet) cause massive revolts in the streets. It didn't keep the Russian's from electing Putin to a second term or from electing Putin's hand-picked successor president earlier this year. Why? Because Russians are happy with the direction the policies of Putin are taking them. Maybe they aren't ready to let go of all hints of the old Soviet mentality.
In this book, Politkovskaya acts as a critic of Putin and not a journalist dedicated to reporting in an unbiased manner. While she certainly exposes many truths about the atrocities that occurred during Putin's rule, she only exposes these truths to the extent that will support her disdain for Putin. She doesn't mention any of the positive changes that Putin has brought to Russia. Did she doubt that life in Russia under Putin was better than it had been in decades? Did she not witness the fierce sense of nationalism that rose during Putin's administration? Maybe she forgot that Putin leveled the playing field, so to speak, when it comes to taxes, as he adopted a universal 13% tax that everyone paid equally? Or perhaps she didn't appreciate the fact that Putin did more to loosen the restrictions on the sale of land than any of his predecessors? Did she ignore the fact that Putin helped to stabilize the Russian economy after the state assumed control of its oil and natural gas reserves? Did she not recognize that Putin increased the average salary of many Russians from an average of $125 in the `90s to an average of $400 when Putin left office in 2007?
As I stated earlier, Putin and his policies were very popular in Russia, as Putin's approval rating and election results can attest to as Russians overwhelmingly voted Putin in for a second term. Did Anna Politkovskaya really believe that she could change the opinion of such a large majority of her own people? They loved Putin and I can't see how they would have taken lightly the harsh criticisms that Politkovskaya expresses in this book.
Another issue that I take with this book and its criticisms of Putin's Russia is that none of the stories told are surprising. Perhaps it is my cynical view of modern Russia that blinds me from shock, but not one story left me reeling from surprise. Corruption is common place not only in Russia, but in countries all over the world; the fact that the corruption she reports on occurs in Russia only confirms the suspicions that many westerners already believed: the Soviet Union isn't dead. So, if Politkovskaya's aim in writing this book was to expose the horrid truths of corruption in government and brutality in the military, then she failed miserably because none of the information she gives in the book are earth-shattering revelations.
While I do not give this book much credit, I can appreciate what Politkovskaya was trying to accomplish. She was a woman who had endured the horror of life under communism and was fearful that the communist way of life would return under Putin. Unfortunately, I believe that she is correct: the Soviet Union, if it continues on its current path, will more than likely rise again. The sad part, and I believe this may have been Politkovskaya's motivation for writing this book, is that the Soviet Union is returning to thunderous applause by the people of Russia as their support for Putin and his policies show.
Politkovskaya's prophecies turned out to be true September 25, 2008
A very skeptical book from a stark and well-known Kremlin's opponent, journalist and human rights activist, whose assassination did not come as a surprise. Reveals a lot about the darker side of Putin's regime, although sometimes becomes too skeptical and probably even biased.
 Read-worthy, jet emotional May 16, 2008
1 out of 1 found this review helpful
Politkovskaya's book is important in the sense as it gives a voice to people that is not heard in other books about contemporary Russia. Especially the chapter "Tanya, Misha, Lena and Rinat - Where are they now?" where she looks up people that she used to know in the 70s, gives a remarkable description of personalities that anyone that gets to know Russian's personally will be able to recognize.
A weekness of this approach is that it is difficult to recognize and appreciate theese personality-types without personally knowing ehough Russians to see what she is talking about. Unless you know Russians personaly it will also be difficult to experience and take in, how many simply will refuse to read, know and take in her story either becuase it is something they have decided to act as if theese things never happened - focusing on this is negative, or simply because they are very emotionally difficult to discuss. This attitude and feelings among ordinary Russians is in my view farmore important than the authorities attitudes towards her writing.
I agree with the other reviews that claim her writing is very emotional. This is a problem because it makes me suspicious of her writing, even when what she tells is probably compleately true. By being less emtional she would undoubtful come through as more trustworthy, that is especially important because we to a large degree only have her side of the stroy to hold on to. Though considerably more moderate than Litvinenko and Felshtinsky's "Blowing up Russia", I find myself having some of the same mixed emotions about some of the consparicy-like claims that come up in the book, where we only have whether we belive the author or not to hold on to. Though experience have learned me that few seemingly over-the-top fantastic rumours can be ruled out when it comes to Russian politics, I am still laved with mixed emotions.
Her personal aproach also leave the basic, structural facts that is important to understand contemporary Russia in the background. Gaidar has used the relevant comparison of Russia in the 90s with the last similary desperate economic situation in Germany in the 30s. About 15 years after the democrasy was established in Germany, Hitler came to power under similar economic conditions. Who ever Putin is, he is like a boy-scout in that perspective. Politkovaskaya fails to give the political and economical understanding to put things into perspective. As another review states, you will not find what progresses Russia has made under Putin in this book. It is not that critical though, as long one can get that perspective from other books. Polikovskaya gives an understanding of the people acting under this cicumstantions that I have seen no other books on contemporary Russia.
Especially Politkovskaya have written other books and articles on Chechnya, I think Chechnya has got too much coverage in the book, compared to other topics. It might be that she should have chosen a different title, instead of writing relatively less about Chechnya though. It is nothing wrong woth writing many books about Chechnya, it is just that the topic "Putin's Russia" is considerably broader than that.
Another review claims you can not find Politkovskayas books in Russia. I can confirm that I have found them in English in ordinary book-stores and Russian friends confirms they have fond them too.
Do read this book. Make sure you fill out the picture with other books on the Putin era and the political and economical development in Post-USSR Russia though.
 revelation of a Tyrant March 2, 2008
1 out of 2 found this review helpful
Having read only a portion of the book i can only express mild shock due to the fact that power corrupts and absolute power absolutly corrupts.Mr Putin has much to ansewr for,whether he does will remain to be seen.
Anna Politcovskaya has to be admired for her courage,in the face of intimidation and death threats. To fearlessly pursue the truth and seek to expose a corrupt regime,provides us in the west with a most worthy example as long as we dont hold too dearly our life or reputation.This is very much like America with George and his cronies re:911 and New Zealand which is similar in that Mz Clark has a small group of people around her who are changing the social landscape of the country to fit their idea of a modern,all inclusive society, and blatently ignoring the express wishes of the people.May she enjoy her imminent retirement.A country or corporation,business will only grow and prosper according to the wishes,goals and desires of its leaders,be they people of integrity or corrupted by the privilege of power.
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