Book Review: William Zimmerman, Ruling Russia: Authoritarianism from the Revolution to Putin

Date01 July 2016
DOI10.1177/0020881718759384
Published date01 July 2016
Subject MatterBook Reviews
Book Reviews 325
Nuclear abolition is a possible dream but difficult to achieve when everybody else
says—you go first. It does not mean arms reduction is not worthy of time and
effort. Cimbala quips that fewer the nuclear weapons, the better for a peaceful
world. With the twenty-first century, technological advancements, cyberterror-
ism, occasional cross-talk with states like North Korea, and the nuclear ambitions
of states like Iran, the concern and frustration of the established nuclear powers
has increased. Peace must be negotiated, nurtured and backed. The multiple com-
ponents of the discourse on nuclear disarmament put forth by Cimbala in a well-
organized and interesting manner is most thought provoking. His account of the
dangers which human society is facing in the second nuclear age is insightful,
systematic and comprehensive.
Haseeb Cheerathadayan
Doctoral Candidate, Centre for Russian and
Central Asian Studies
School of International Studies
Jawaharlal Nehru University,
New Delhi
E-mail: haseebhase@gmail.com
William Zimmerman, Ruling Russia: Authoritarianism from the Revolution
to Putin (Princeton, NJ and Oxford: Princeton University Press, 2014),
329 p., $29.95.
DOI: 10.1177/0020881718759384
In response to the US and European efforts to marginalize it, Russia made a come-
back with important role in the negotiations and implementation of the nuclear
deal with Iran, military action in Syria and the emerging situation in Afghanistan.
Russia wants to remain a prominent player in the international politics. Russia’s
annexation of Crimea and role Ukraine crisis, and its involvement in Syria, Iran
and Afghanistan, provide a chance to Western scholars to compare Putin’s regime
with earlier Soviet totalitarian system. The idea of democracy in Russia has been
debated in the West since the breakdown of the Soviet Union. The transition from
communism to democracy gave hope during the 1990s, which has been destroyed
during Putin’s regime according to critics.
Ruling Russia: Authoritarianism from the Revolution to Putin is a comprehen-
sive political history of transformation of leadership and the evolution of Russian
politics. It gives rich historical details about how Russia is ruled. How the recent
regime compares with its predecessor regimes? How a consolidated political system
solidified with each passing generation of leaders? William Zimmerman, the author,
answers the question ‘Is Russia, was it, or will it ever be, a “normal” country?’
(p. 1). He struggles to situate this term within his historical–political description.
He argues that it was Russian leadership that chose to purposefully redefine the
idea of normalcy according to their own political framework.

To continue reading

Request your trial

VLEX uses login cookies to provide you with a better browsing experience. If you click on 'Accept' or continue browsing this site we consider that you accept our cookie policy. ACCEPT