The Survivalist and The Outsider

The next two personality types recognized in Vladimir Putin are 'The Survivalist' and 'The Outsider'. The idea of Putin as a 'Survivalist' comes from his background as the child of survivors of World War II, one of the darkest and bleakest eras in Russian history. During the Nazi blockade of Leningrad from 1941 to 1944, Putin's family remained in the city and suffered greatly as bombings, disease, and starvation claimed over a million casualties, including Vladimir's older brother. It is through hardships like this that the Russian ideal of surviving and triumphing over all adversaries has become so deeply ingrained in the culture and ideology of the Russian people. Putin certainly embodies this ideal as he has been through tremendous hardship and come out on the other side. He has used this trait to combat recent hardships in Russia, like the St. Petersburg food crisis in the winter of 1991-1992 after the collapse of the Soviet Union. Although his plan to use private companies as a way to supply the city with provisions ultimately failed, the promotion of the use of allotments for growing one's own food helped curb the disaster and the city was able to survive until things were fixed.

The Siege of Leningrad during World War II

Another trait used by Putin is his role as 'The Outsider'. The authors note that Putin's background in St. Petersburg (called Leningrad in Soviet times) has given him a sort of identity as an outsider from the political center of Moscow as well as from the families of intelligentsia or nomenklatura (those who occupy state administrative positions) since his family comes from humble origins. It took Putin many years of hard work to reach the upper levels of the KGB and it was said in the Russian media that he would have a hard time getting to power because he hadn't established the necessary connections and allied required to be in the "inner circle". This identity makes him unique in terms of politics because even in the United States, it is very rare for someone to get involved in higher politics that has no background or family history in the field. By understanding these traits and how they make him unique as well as a figure that Russians can relate to, it becomes clearer to see Putin's reasoning and intention behind some of his decisions.

Putin making important political connections

The Statist and the History Man

The next chapter of the book discusses the first aspect of Putin's personality-his view of himself as a "man of the state" or a "statist". This means that he sees himself as someone who is dedicated to the restoration of the Russian state and claims that the mission of his presidency is to reunite the Russian people through the distinguished values that make them differ from others, ideas that were "distinctly Russian", not just universal values like personal freedoms and rights. He called these values that make up the core of Russian belief the "Russian Idea" and these include patriotism, collectivism, solidarity, and lastly "derzhavnost" which is the belief that Russia's destiny is to always be a powerful entity that "exerts its influence abroad".

By latching onto these deals, Putin establishes himself as someone who pledges his loyalty not to a political party, but rather to the state itself and to restoring the state to its former glory and strength above all. This self presentation is rather common among those with a background in the KGB like Putin has. The book goes on to discuss the role of statists in Russia and how they have historically been known as the intelligent upper class that saw themselves as representing citizens in opposition to the tsarist economic and political system. In the Soviet era, the term was used to refer to jobs like doctors, engineers, teachers, scientists, researchers, writers, and artists that were held in high esteem in the Marxian social classification.

The authors also address the second role that Putin plays in his leadership-that of "The History Man", meaning he understands the important role that history can play in establishing legitimacy and in accomplishing goals. It is obvious to see this side of him in his policies as he often searches for ways to establish connections to Russia's past by participating in cultural renovation projects, his embracing of Russian Orthodoxy, and attempting to bring Russia back to a sovereign and historically rooted political system that is not highly democratic.

Putin's Inauguration Ceremony with Involvement from the Russian Orthodox Church

By understanding two of these key personality traits, it becomes easier to recognize the goals and intentions of Vladimir Putin and to put into perspective some of the decisions he makes and his public policy. Thanks for reading!

The Rise to Power

The next chapter begins by describing one very violent occurrence in the presidency of Boris Yeltsin (the Russian president preceding Putin). In October 1993, a political standoff took place between the Russian legislative and executive branches, finally resulting in a bloody skirmish with interior ministry forces when supporters of Parliament marched on the Moscow television tower. Official statements put the number of casualties at 145 deaths and 800 injuries. Having done this, Yeltsin proceeded to draft a new Russian constitution giving the president extensive powers over foreign and domestic policy and effectively strengthening the overall position of the leader.

On a lighter note, here's Boris Yeltsin dancing

The authors continue to discuss in detail the presidency of Boris Yeltsin and how precedents were set for Vladimir Putin to come into power just a few short years later. From the military assault on Chechnya to the resulting bilateral treaties, Yeltsin's presidency is characterized by turbulence and instability. In the years 1991-1996, Russia endured many hardships in the fields of domestic and foreign policy and the country was not united politically. This is when Putin arrived in Moscow to join in the Russian presidential administration. Chaos and war in Chechnya raged on and thousands had taken to the streets protesting unpaid wages and soaring prices. The West had forced Russia out from its place in the Balkan States, humiliating the nation and sending relations with the United States on a downward spiral. This is the perfect opportunity for Vladimir Putin to step into the public sphere and act as the nation's savior.