Looking beyond Putin to understand how today's Russia actually works Media and public
discussion tends to understand Russian politics as a direct reflection of Vladimir Putin's
seeming omnipotence or Russia's unique history and culture. Yet Russia is remarkably similar to
other autocracies-and recognizing this illuminates the inherent limits to Putin's power. Weak
Strongman challenges the conventional wisdom about Putin's Russia highlighting the difficult
trade-offs that confront the Kremlin on issues ranging from election fraud and repression to
propaganda and foreign policy. Drawing on three decades of his own on-the-ground experience and
research as well as insights from a new generation of social scientists that have received
little attention outside academia Timothy Frye reveals how much we overlook about today's
Russia when we focus solely on Putin or Russian exceptionalism. Frye brings a new understanding
to a host of crucial questions: How popular is Putin? Is Russian propaganda effective? Why are
relations with the West so fraught? Can Russian cyber warriors really swing foreign elections?
In answering these and other questions Frye offers a highly accessible reassessment of Russian
politics that highlights the challenges of governing Russia and the nature of modern autocracy.
Rich in personal anecdotes and cutting-edge social science Weak Strongman offers the best
evidence available about how Russia actually works.
