The International Politics Of Russia And The Successor States

This textbook examines the external relations of the fifteen new states which emerged from the ashes of the Soviet Union in 1991. Mark Webber examines the consequences of the Soviet collapse and the emergence of a new system of international relations embracing Russia and the other former Soviet republics. The author explores both relations between the new states themselves and between these states and the wider world. He pinpoints the daunting challenges facing the new states: the invention of foreign policy orientations; the management of the Red Army’s material legacy, including nuclear weapons; the resolution of regional conflicts; and the need for economic revival. Two key themes emerge: the reassertion of national identities, and the special position of Russia, which has assumed to some extent the rights and the obligations of the Soviet Union on the world stage whilst having to tackle the chaos of local wars and internal economic collapse.

First Published in 1996. This ambitious ten-volume series develops a comprehensive analysis of the evolving world rile of the post-Soviet successor states. Each volume considers a different factor influencing the relationship between internal politics and international relations in Russia and the western and southern tiers of newly independent states. The contributors were chosen not only for their recognised expertise but also to ensure a stimulating diversity of perspectives and a dynamic mix of approaches.

Provides a systematic and accessible overview of church-state relations in the Soviet Union. This text explores the shaping of Soviet religious policy from the death of Stalin until the collapse of communism, and considers the place of religion in the post

This volume covers the economic progress made by the new states of the former Soviet Union in the transition from command to market economies. Topics discussed include: political and economic adjustments; the domestic dimension; macropolicies; restructuring; and regional and world integration.

First Published in 1996. This ambitious ten-volume series develops a comprehensive analysis of the evolving world role of the post-Soviet successor states. Each volume considers a different factor influencing the relationship between internal politics and international relations in Russia and in the western and southern tiers of newly independent states. The contributors were chosen not only for their recognized expertise but also to ensure a stimulating diversity of perspectives and a dynamic mix of approaches. This is Volume 8 Economic Transition in Russia and the New States of Eurasia.

This book makes two central claims: first, that mineral-rich states are cursed not by their wealth but, rather, by the ownership structure they choose to manage their mineral wealth and second, that weak institutions are not inevitable in mineral-rich states. Each represents a significant departure from the conventional resource curse literature, which has treated ownership structure as a constant across time and space and has presumed that mineral-rich countries are incapable of either building or sustaining strong institutions - particularly fiscal regimes. The experience of the five petroleum-rich Soviet successor states (Azerbaijan, Kazakhstan, the Russian Federation, Turkmenistan, and Uzbekistan) provides a clear challenge to both of these assumptions. Their respective developmental trajectories since independence demonstrate not only that ownership structure can vary even across countries that share the same institutional legacy but also that this variation helps to explain the divergence in their subsequent fiscal regimes.

With the collapse of the USSR, Russia and the fourteen other successor states that border it have had to deal with an unpredictable international environment as they face internal political turmoil and economic chaos. This book surveys relations among the new states and neighboring countries, and identifies the key issues that will determine the long-term economic growth and political stability of this vast and vital region. The authors examine the historical legacies of the new states; the influence of ethnicity and religion; prospects for internal and external economic relations; foreign policy, military forces, and the debate over nuclear weapons; and the impact of Western policy in the region.