Institutions, Elites, and a Transition to the Unknown The Russian Oligarchy

Abstract

As the Soviet Union crumbled, the world eagerly watched. The end of the Cold War signified to many that democracy had at long last prevailed and that the USSR would have to endure the terms of their defeat-to transform into a democratic nation themselves. Years later, however, corruption envelops Russia's streets, her institutions and her leaders. This paper argues that Russia has not experienced what can be defined as a realized democratic transition but that instead, the careful balance perpetuated by the Russian elites assures that power remains in the hands of the few. By examining corruption in Russian institutions and the relationship between elites and those institutions, this paper contends that Russia's transition might be more accurately described as a form of oligarchy.