Russia Turns East

William H. Thornton and Songok Han Thornton
Additional contact information
William H. Thornton: William H. Thornton is a Professor of globalization and cultural studies at National Cheng Kung University in Taiwan. [email: songokt.hornton@msa.hinet.net]
Songok Han Thornton: Songok Han Thornton is a Research Assistant Professor of political science at National Cheng Kung University in Taiwan. [email: sohan@Mail.ncku.edu.tw]

Journal of Developing Societies, 2008, vol. 24, issue 4, 439-463

Abstract: As the crucial Eurasian swing state, Russia is fast emerging as the twenty-first century ‘decider’. Early globalists took it as a foregone conclusion that Russia would swing toward the West. But increasingly it has ‘turned East’, striking a fate-ful alliance with China and other authoritarian regimes by way of a resuscitated ‘Second World’. By buttressing Putinism, globalization is helping to perform what amounts to a democratic abortion. Yet these policies are not set in stone. This study holds that another globalization is possible, and another Russia as well. To prevent the consolidation of a new Second World, every effort must be made to convince Russian leaders that democracy, far from being Russia's nemesis, could be its best geopolitical ally.

Keywords: Putinism; Second World; Kremlinism; Second Way; managed democracy; authoritarian capitalism (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2008
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Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:sae:jodeso:v:24:y:2008:i:4:p:439-463

DOI: 10.1177/0169796X0902400402

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