Federalism, democratization, and the rule of law in Russia

## Abstract This book examines the development of Russia's current federal system of government from its Soviet origins, through Mikhail Gorbachev's reforms, to the presidencies of Boris Yeltsin and the early years of Vladimir Putin. The theoretical relationship between democracy, law, and federalism is examined with a focus on its application to the study of post‐authoritarian state systems. Federal institutions shape political agendas in the constituent units of a federation just as much as those units influence the shape of the federal whole. Case studies focus on Russia's 21 ethnic ‘republics’ (out of 89 units in a complicated multi‐level federal hierarchy) using previously unpublished primary source materials, including official documents and interviews with key participants on a variety of institutional levels. Combining the approaches of three fields of scholarship - political science, law and Russian area- tudies - the author explores the foundations and future of the Russian Federation. Russia's political elite have struggled to build an extraordinarily complex federal system, one that incorporates eighty-nine different units and scores of different ethnic groups, which sometimes harbor long histories of resentment against Russian imperial and Soviet legacies. This book examines the public debates, official documents and political deals that built Russia's federal house on very unsteady foundations, often out of the ideological, conceptual and physical rubble of the ancien régime. One of the major goals of this book is, where appropriate, to bring together the insights of comparative law and comparative politics in the study of the development of Russia's attempts to create - as its constitution states in the very first article - a'Democratic, federal, rule-of-law state' Combining The Approaches Of Three Fields Of Scholarship - Political Science, Law And Russian Area- Tudies - The Author Explores The Foundations And Future Of The Russian Federation. Russia's Political Elite Have Struggled To Build An Extraordinarily Complex Federal System, One That Incorporates Eighty-nine Different Units And Scores Of Different Ethnic Groups, Which Sometimes Harbor Long Histories Of Resentment Against Russian Imperial And Soviet Legacies. This Bookexamines The Public Debates, Official Documents And Political Deals That Built Russia's Federal House On Very Unsteady Foundations, Often Out Of The Ideological, Conceptual And Physical Rubble Of The Ancien Régime. One Of The Major Goals Of This Book Is, Where Appropriate, To Bring Together The Insights Ofcomparative Law And Comparative Politics In The Study Of The Development Of Russia's Attempts To Create - As Its Constitution States In The Very First Article - A 'democratic, Federal, Rule-of-law State' How has Russia's political elite struggled to build a federal system of government out of the rubble of the Soviet empire? This ground-breaking book examines the public debates, official documents, and political deals that built Russia's federal house, and analyzes the strength of its troubled foundation. Combining the approaches of three fields of scholarship - political science, law and Russian area-studies - the author explores the foundations and future of the Russian Federation