Failure. Russia Under Putin

Harley D. Balzer, Steven A. Fisher

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English

Brookings Institution
10 July 2025

Politics & government; Political corruption

Examines the significant failures Russia has faced under Vladimir Putin’s leadership and presents an important counterpoint to a broad range of studies emphasizing Russia’s resurrection, status as a persistent power, or successful military reform.

Despite Putin’s claims of restoring Russia’s rightful place in the world, reviving the economic and industrial capacity destroyed in the 1990s, and improving living standards, data show that the gains from the oil price bonanza of 2000-2008 have long since vanished. The success Putin has achieved in centralizing power and repressing opposition now prevents any effective changes to address Russia’s long-term decline. Failures include the inability to diversify the economy, reduce corruption, reverse demographic and educational decline, alleviate poverty, or address social inequalities.

This edited volume examines how Putin’s policy choices have led to Russia’s inexorable decline on the global stage. Depicting Russia’s inability under Vladimir Putin’s rule to improve critical spheres of its national life, aggravated by military belligerence and adventurism abroad, chapters detail how Putin's policies have severely limited Russia's development and institutional stability, leaving the country without a clear leadership transition mechanism or capacity to abandon flawed policies.

Edited by: Harley D. Balzer, Steven A. Fisher
Imprint: Brookings Institution
Country of Publication: United States
Dimensions: Height: 229mm, Width: 152mm, Spine: 25mm
Weight: 454g
ISBN: 9780815740834
ISBN 10: 0815740832
Pages: 496
Publication Date: 10 July 2025
Audience: Professional and scholarly , Undergraduate
Format: Paperback
Publisher's Status: Forthcoming

Harley Balzer is Emeritus Professor of Government and International Affairs and an associate faculty member of the Department of History at Georgetown University, USA. Steven A. Fisher is a career emerging markets finance professional and worked for thirty-five years with Citibank, including sixteen years in the former Soviet Union in senior leadership positions in Moscow and Kyiv.

Reviews for Failure. Russia Under Putin

""This excellent book is written by outstanding longtime experts on Russia, each focusing on their area of expertise. It does not accept Kremlin propaganda but penetrates Russia's many weak spots. The reader arrives at a clear picture: Russia is not well and its system does not appear sustainable for long."" --Anders Åslund, Economic Advisor to the Russian reform government (1991-1994) ""These invaluable essays from some of the leading analysts of contemporary Russia offer a deep dive into Putin's management of the state, economy, and society over the past twenty-five years and a sobering assessment of the country's future. It is essential reading for everyone who wants to understand Russia's trajectory."" --Fiona Hill, Senior Fellow, Brookings Institution, and New York Times best-selling author of There Is Nothing for You Here: Finding Opportunity in the Twenty-First Century ""A superb collection of essays on the failure of Putin's Russia to achieve many of its stated goals. Many failures emanate from Putin's mistaken invasions of Ukraine, others from governance failures or from neglecting to address needed economic reforms and severe long-term demographic and societal problems. Not to be missed."" --John F. Tefft, former ambassador to the Russian Federation (2014-2017)