Taylor’s ‘Russian Politics’ One of Forbes’ Must-Read Books to Understand Russia, the War in Ukraine

February 18, 2025

Forbes

Brian Taylor

Political Science Department

Moynihan Institute of Global Affairs

Program for the Advancement of Research on Conflict & Collaboration

International Affairs

Russia

Forbes

Brian Taylor

“Russian Politics: A Very Short Introduction” (Oxford University Press, 2024), written by Professor of Political Science Brian Taylor, was named one of Forbes’ 5 must-read books to understand Russia and the war in Ukraine. From the author, Stuart Anderson:

“Syracuse University professor Brian Taylor, author of ‘Russian Politics: A Very Short Introduction,’ packs a wealth of analysis and interesting facts into a compact book. Taylor explains the Soviet Union’s failed economic model, Stalin’s state-sanctioned arrests (and murders) and the downfall of the USSR. He notes that Marx didn’t provide Soviet leaders with a roadmap for instituting communism other than abolishing private property.

In the 1990s, Russia started over as a ‘new country,’ but Russian and Soviet history still influences its political and economic choices. Taylor describes the state’s significant role in Russia’s economy, the ‘failed experience of democratic constitutionalism,’ the late Russian President Boris Yeltsin’s “ambiguous legacy” and Vladimir Putin’s march toward authoritarianism. The book is ideal for anyone who wants a better context for understanding news reports about Putin and Russia.”