Politics and the Russian army : civil-military relations, 1689-2000

Military coups have plagued many countries around the world, but Russia, despite its tumultuous history, has not experienced a successful military coup in over two centuries. In a series of detailed case studies, Brian Taylor explains the political role of the Russian military. Drawing on a wealth of new material, including archives and interviews, Taylor discusses every case of actual or potential military intervention in Russian politics from Peter the Great to Vladimir Putin. Taylor analyzes in particular detail the army's behavior during the political revolutions that marked the beginning and end of the twentieth century, two periods when the military was, uncharacteristically, heavily involved in domestic politics. He argues that a common thread unites the late-Imperial, Soviet, and post-Soviet Russian army: an organizational culture that believes that intervention against the country's political leadership - whether tsar, general secretary, or president - is fundamentally illegitimate. "In a series of detailed case studies, Brian Taylor explains the political role of the Russian military. Drawing on a wealth of new material, including archives and interviews, Taylor discusses every case of actual or potential military intervention in Russian politics from Peter the Great to Vladimir Putin. Taylor analyzes in particular detail the army's behavior during the political revolutions that marked the beginning and end of the twentieth century, two periods when the military was, uncharacteristically, heavily involved in domestic politics. He argues that a common thread unites the late-Imperial, Soviet, and post-Soviet Russian army: an organizational culture embodying the belief that intervention against the country's political leadership - whether tsar, general secretary, or president - is fundamentally illegitimate."--BOOK JACKET This comprehensive overview of the political role of the Russian military (from Peter the Great's time in 1689 to the present) reveals why Russia has not experienced a successful military coup in over two centuries. Including materials from archives and interviews, the book covers the Imperial, Soviet, and post-Soviet periods through detailed analysis of some of the most important events in Russian political history. This book is a comprehensive overview of the political role of the Russian military, from the time of Peter the Great to the present, explaining why Russia has not experienced a military coup in over two centuries.