Brookings Press Blog

Collapse of an Empire

Former Russian Prime Minister Yegor Gaidar Offers Lessons for a Modern Russia

In today’s Russia, nostalgia for the Soviet era is growing; some would point to Putin’s victory this past Sunday as evidence. Many Russians reflect wistfully on the passing of a time when the Soviet Union was a superpower, commanding international respect, and they blame its demise on external enemies and foolish changes in policy. In Collapse of an Empire: Lessons for Modern Russia, however, economic reformer and former prime minister Yegor Gaidar clearly illustrates why such notions are misguided, ill-informed, and dangerous.

Gaidar cautions that Russia could be repeating some of its tragic past mistakes, including uneven economic development that leaves the nation vulnerable to fluctuations in the energy market. Such misplaced nostalgia defies reality while it imperils the future of Russia and its people.

Dr. Gaidar made a whirlwind tour of the United States this week. Brookings hosted a book launch featuring Dr. Gaidar on December 3 Washington, DC. On December 5, Dr. Gaidar spoke at a public program hosted by the Chicago Council on Global Affairs. The tour concluded at Columbia University’s Harriman Institute in New York City for an event featuring the book on December 6.

- Check out the full Brookings book launch transcript [coming soon].

- Listen to Dr. Gaidar discuss the Russian election results on NPR’s The Diane Rehm Show.

- Listen to Dr. Gaidar discuss the Russian election results on BBC’s The World.

- Learn more about Collapse of an Empire.

Book Launch Bonanza

Three new release launches and a sneak peek at Red and Blue Nation? Vol. II in the coming week

Bouncing right back from turkey overload, Brookings is hosting three new book release launches through early next week, with a discussion on a forthcoming title in the mix for good measure. You can register for these public events at the links below.

• Book launch for Four Crises and a Peace Process: American Engagement with India and Pakistan by P.R. Chari, Pervaiz Iqbal Cheema, and Brookings Senior Fellow Stephen P. Cohen - Tuesday, November 27 at 9:30 a.m. Read the full event transcript here.
• Book launch for Blindside: How to Anticipate Forcing Events and Wild Cards in Global Politics edited by Francis Fukuyama - Wednesday, November 28 at 2 p.m. Read the full event transcript here.
• Discussion of Peter Beinart’s chapter on partisan polarization in the United States and its effect on foreign policy in the forthcoming Red and Blue Nation? Volume II: Consequences and Correction of America’s Polarized Politics edited by Pietro S. Nivola and David W. Brady - Friday, November 30 at 10 a.m.
• Book launch for Collapse of an Empire: Lessons for Modern Russia by Yegor Gaidar, former prime minister of Russia - Monday, December 3 at 1 p.m.

See you there!

Worst of the Worst

New book from Brookings and the World Peace Foundation examines repressive and rogue nations

Repressive regimes tyrannize their own citizens and threaten global stability and order. Worst of the Worst identifies and characterizes the world’s most odious states and singles out which repressors are aggressive and, hence, can truly be called rogues. Robert I. Rotberg and his colleagues define the actions that constitute repression and propose a method of measuring human rights violations. They offer an index of nation-state repressiveness, classifying “gross repressors,” “high repressors,” and “aggressive repressors” or “rogues” on a ten-point scale. Based on arms and drug trafficking, support of terror, possession of weapons of mass destruction, and crossborder attacks, this valuable diagnostic tool will guide the international community in crafting effective policies to deal with injustice in the developing world. The repressors and rogues profiled include Belarus, Burma, Equatorial Guinea, North Korea, Syria, Togo, Tunisia, Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan, and Zimbabwe.

- Learn more about Worst of the Worst.