What is Vladimir Putin up to? This book shows how the mentality of Putin and his team - the code of Putinism - has shaped Russian politics over the past two decades. It explains not only the thoughts and ideas that motivate Putin's decisions, but also the set of emotions and habits that influence how Putin and his close allies view the world. The code of Putinism has powerfully shaped the nature of Russia's political system, its economy, and its foreign policy. Taylor draws on a large number of interviews, the speeches of Putin and other top officials, and the Russian media to analyze the mentality of Team Putin. Key features of Russian politics today -- such as authoritarianism, Putin's reliance on a small group of loyal friends and associates, state domination of the economy, and an assertive foreign policy - are traced to the code of Putinism. Key ideas of the code include conservatism, anti-Americanism, and the importance of a state that is powerful both at home and abroad. Dominant habits of Putin and his associates include control, order, and loyalty. Important feelings driving Russia's rulers include the need for respect, resentment about lost status and mistreatment by the West, and vulnerability. While some observers portray Putin as either a cold-blooded pragmatist or a strident Russian nationalist, Taylor provides a more nuanced and compelling interpretation of Putin's motives and actions. The Code of Putinism also shows how Putin's choices, guided by this mentality, have led to a Russia that is misruled at home and punching above its weight abroad.

About the Author
Brian D. Taylor is Professor and Chair of Political Science, Maxwell School of Citizenship and Public Affairs, Syracuse University. He is the author of State Building in Putin's Russia: Policing and Coercion after Communism (2011) and Politics and the Russian Army: Civil-Military Relations, 1689-2000 (2003).

Reviews
[provides a] strong impression of the rich material laid out in this compelling analysis. * Wolfgang Mueller, Europe-Asia Studies *
This is a combination of a psychological study, modern politics, and modern history all rolled into one, as we in America struggle often times to understand Putin and what he does and how he operates. This book should help correct that deficit. * Kevin Winter, Tulsa Book Review *
""The Code of Putin" packs more punch to the pound. It might just as easily have been titled "Decoding Putin" for what Mr. Taylor attempts is to explain the forces that have shaped and driven Vladimir Putin by linking them to the forces that have shaped and driven Russia."-Aram Bakshian Jr. * The Washington Times *
"Taylor makes a valuable contribution here. While warning that his research is not strictly academic, he develops an original approach to explaining the workings of this regime, which is both remarkably stable and clearly underperforming in effectiveness of governance." -Pavel K Baev -PRIO



Book Information
ISBN 9780190867317
Author Brian Taylor
Format Hardback
Page Count 264
Imprint Oxford University Press Inc
Publisher Oxford University Press Inc
Weight(grams) 533g
Dimensions(mm) 160mm * 234mm * 20mm