Russia Is Keeping its Elites on a Shorter Leash

The Atlantic
Tuesday 12th March, 2013

The second anecdote is more appropriate for the simple reason that it illustrates that official corruption is not a bug in Russia’s operating system, but an essential feature. And it’s a feature that Putin has used very effectively to keep the elite motivated and in line. Putin’s deal with the elite was always pretty straightforward: Steal (but not too much for your rank) and nobody will mess with you as long as you give unwavering loyalty to the national leader. But now, one year after Putin won election to a third term in the Kremlin, he is rewriting the terms of the bargain. Put…

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