ABSTRACT
Much is riding on the outcome of the political transition now under way in Russia. If that country succeeds in creating stable democratic institutions and economic prosperity for its citizens, then opportunities for creating something like a “new world order” would be enhanced. We would expect that a stable, prosperous Russia would be more likely to seek normal, peaceful relations with its neighbors. Alternatively, if antidemocratic forces prevail and an anti-Western, authoritarian regime takes power, we might well see a foreign policy aimed at the restoration of empire and the expansion of Russia’s influence beyond its borders. This would be a prescription for international conflict. This chapter analyzes one of the factors that may determine whether the democratic alternative in Russia succeeds: the existence of a political culture in Russia hospitable to the emergence of democratic institutions.
