Oligarchs and Corruption in Putin's Russia: Of Sand Castles and Geopolitical Volunteering

Georgetown Journal of International Affairs (Summer/Fall 2017)

8 Pages Posted: 19 Jul 2017 Last revised: 2 Apr 2019

See all articles by Stanislav Markus

Stanislav Markus

Moore School of Business (U of South Carolina)

Date Written: 2017

Abstract

The article analyzes Russia's elite corruption from domestic and international perspectives. While corrupt proceeds make Russian elites invested in the political system, corruption also acts as a destabilizing force in Russia. I argue that corruption is a double-edged sword for the oligarchs and the Kremlin alike. As a competitive kleptocracy in which corrupt elites have the option of international exit via offshores, Russia currently lacks any clear "top-down" path towards the rule of law. Furthermore, the country's elite corruption presents political problems for the West. The article concludes with some policy recommendations.

Keywords: Putin, Russia, corruption, oligarchs, post-communist transition, offshores, agent predation, state-building

Suggested Citation

Markus, Stanislav, Oligarchs and Corruption in Putin's Russia: Of Sand Castles and Geopolitical Volunteering (2017). Georgetown Journal of International Affairs (Summer/Fall 2017), Available at SSRN: https://ssrn.com/abstract=3003409

Stanislav Markus (Contact Author)

Moore School of Business (U of South Carolina) ( email )

1705 College St
Francis M. Hipp Building
Columbia, SC 29208
United States

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