The Republics and Regions of the Russian Federation: A Guide to Politics, Policies, and Leaders [Hardcover]

Robert W. Orttung (Editor), Danielle N. Lussier (Editor), Anna Paretskaya (Editor)

Editorial Reviews

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This is a remarkably detailed compilation and analysis of data that describe the politics of the entities that comprise the Russian Federation. The 89 republics and regions of Russia are distinguishable by their cultural histories, their demographic makeups, and their economic traits; and understanding those characteristics could be useful to anyone expecting to do business with them or anyone trying to understand their political activities in these evolutionary times. The material was gathered by the EastWest Institute's "network of correspondents"; the EastWest Institute has been around since 1981 and defines its mission as promoting "democracy, free enterprise, and prosperity" in Russia and elsewhere.

Each of the areas, from Adygeya to Yaroslavl Oblast, gets about five pages packed with information: size, population (as of 1998), distance from Moscow, and major cities. A table of "Basic Facts" includes demographic information such as ethnic breakdown, average monthly personal income, budgetary revenues and expenditures, sources of investment, and number of telephones per 100 families. This is followed by an overview and an "Electoral History" section that allows the reader to learn which parties and individuals have been popular since 1991. Additional sections discuss regional politics, regional and foreign relations, and important economic activity. A separate box provides a chronological sketch of the region's current governor that would give someone expecting to work with (or against) him or her useful background information.

Preliminary pages include English-Russian and Russian-English translations of the names of Russian political parties and movements, followed by a lengthy introduction. One table in the introduction shows the local governors' political affiliations on the eve of the 1999 state Duma elections--eight separate parties, which certainly makes our recent election seem tame by comparison!

The "Index of Proper Names" includes some surprises. In addition to the expected entries for the resident personnel and places, one finds Clinton, Bill and Coca Cola. Following the trail, the reader learns that Coca Cola has invested heavily in some of the regions, and three of the current governors have met former President Clinton.

As fascinating and potentially useful as all of this information is, most of us will have difficulty verifying it and evaluating its current value. The maps are from 1997 and the demographic information is from 1998. This source is probably most useful in an academic library supporting an international political science curriculum, where the detailed analyses of all the many parts of the former Republic of Russia will be carefully studied, and in any organization that needs to have fuller understanding of the local politicos and economies of Russia. Mary Ellen Quinn
Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved

Product Details

• Hardcover: 679 pages
• Publisher: M E Sharpe Inc (September 2000)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0765605597
• ISBN-13: 978-0765605597
• Product Dimensions: 11.3 x 8.8 x 1.7 inches
• Shipping Weight: 4.5 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (1 customer review)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #5,444,448 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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5.0 out of 5 stars Everything you wanted to know about Russia, June 25, 2011

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Jonnie Enloe (Longview, Texas) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: The Republics and Regions of the Russian Federation: A Guide to Politics, Policies, and Leaders (Hardcover)

Although slighty dated by 10 years now, this book concerns every single governmental district, officials, business and the promise of that particular district. If you are interested in Russia, get a very large map for a very large country and by this book. It is totally in english and extremely informative. It also tell you where the mafia is and where they are not. Where the opportunities are and where they are not.