Why are informal practices still prevalent in Russia? -- Chernyi piar : dirty campaigning and the workings of Russian democracy -- Kompromat : the use of compromising information in informal politics -- Krugovaia poruka : sustaining the ties of joint responsibility -- Tenevoi barter : shadow...

"This insightful study explores how the economic system Vladimir Putin has developed in Russia works to consolidate control over the country. By appointing his close associates as heads of state enterprises and by giving control of the FSB and the judiciary to his friends from the KGB, he has...