Putinomics: Power and Money in Resurgent Russia

When Vladimir Putin first took power in 1999, he was a little-known figure ruling a country that was reeling from a decade and a half of crisis. In the years since, he has reestablished Russia as a great power. How did he do it? What principles have guided Putins economic policies? What patterns can be discerned? In this new analysis of Putins Russia, Chris Miller examines its economic policy and the tools Russias elite have used to achieve its goals. Miller argues that despite Russias corruption, cronyism, and overdependence on oil as an economic driver, Putins economic strategy has been surprisingly successful.

Explaining the economic policies that underwrote Putins two-decades-long rule, Miller shows how, at every juncture, Putinomics has served Putins needs by guaranteeing economic stability and supporting his accumulation of power. Even in the face of Western financial sanctions and low oil prices, Putin has never been more relevant on the world stage.