Regional Elite

This paper analyzes the special features of power building in Russia's regions during the 1990s. The focus of the paper is on regional elites. The authors assess the political roles of various elite groups within regions, illustrate the social background of these groups, discuss the recruitment procedure and evaluate the political strategies that members of various elite groups pursue in order to achieve their goals. The authors further explain the many patterns of interaction among the main elite groups in politics, the economy and society, and describe the various models experts use to analyze the organization of power in the regions of the Russian Federation. The paper shows that the ways in which regional elites adapt to market reforms and global economic trends vary according to a region's potential, its relations with the federal center, and/or the political profiles of its major decision makers. The study also touches upon the most recent changes in the Russian Federation under President Vladimir Putin and looks at possible scenarios for the future of the Russian federal system.