Read for class. These are notes for a later paper.

Solid political science book that uses quantitative empirical reasoning and comparative statistical analysis.

The first section of the book is defining 'democracy', using Dahl's list of characteristics for polyarchy. Effective participation, voting equality at the decisive stage, enlightened understanding, control of the agenda, inclusiveness. Russia falls behind on four of these.

After a comparative analysis eliminating which factors either do not have a demonstrated effect on Poverty (ethnic heterogeneity, religion) or at least do not apply to Russia (colonization, severe poverty). So what does this leave us with?

1) Too Much Oil.

The 'resource curse' of valuable natural resources where all the profits are divided among extractive corporate institutions and associates, and not necessarily spent on social projects or investment in the local economy besides further resource infrastructure. Oligarchy.

2) Too Little Economic Reform.

3) A Too-Weak Legislature and thus a Too-Strong 'Super-presidential' Executive Branch.
This in turn is correlated with political apathy, corruption, bureaucracy, a shellacked media, weak political parties, and so forth. 'Thug' apparatus which is not always authoritarian, but is at least oligarchic.

Very convincing and interesting. ( )