Thane Gustafson Libri

A Foreign Affairs Best Book of the Year on Eastern Europe and the Former Soviet Republics The Russian oil industry—which vies with Saudi Arabia as the world’s largest producer and exporter of oil, providing nearly 12 percent of the global supply—is facing mounting problems that could send shock waves through the Russian economy and worldwide. Wheel of Fortune provides an authoritative account of this vital industry from the last years of communism to its uncertain future. Tracking the interdependence among Russia’s oil industry, politics, and economy, Thane Gustafson shows how the stakes extend beyond international energy security to include the potential threat of a destabilized Russia. “Few have studied the Russian oil and gas industry longer or with a broader political perspective than Gustafson. The result is this superb book, which is not merely a fascinating, subtle history of the industry since the Soviet Union’s collapse but also the single most revealing work on Russian politics and economics published in the last several years.” —Robert Legvold, Foreign Affairs “The history of Russia’s oil industry since the collapse of communism is the history of the country itself. There can be few better guides to this terrain than Thane Gustafson.” —Neil Buckley, Financial Times

Capitalism Russian-Style provides a progress report on one of the most important economic experiments going on in the world today: the building of capitalism in Russia. It describes Russian achievements in building private banks, companies, stock exchanges, new laws and law courts. It analyzes the role of the mafia, the new financial empires, entrepreneurs, business tycoons, and the shrinking Russian state. Thane Gustafson tells how the Soviet system was dismantled and the new market society was born, and examines the prospects for a Russian economic miracle in the twenty-first century.

Focusing on the Brezhnev regime, the book explores its significant domestic initiative aimed at modernizing Soviet agriculture. It delves into the policies implemented, the challenges faced, and the overall impact of these efforts on the agricultural landscape of the Soviet Union. Through this examination, the work sheds light on the complexities of agricultural reform during a pivotal period in Soviet history.

The book explores the paradox of the Soviet energy crisis, highlighting how energy policy has significantly disrupted industrial stability since the 1970s. It examines the interplay between energy issues and broader economic challenges faced by the Soviet Union, emphasizing their critical role in shaping the outcomes of Gorbachev's reforms. Through this case study, it provides insights into the complexities of managing energy resources within a struggling economy.

No major economy is more dependent on fossil fuel exports than Russia, yet it is unprepared for the global transition away from hydrocarbons. Thane Gustafson shows that as Russia's income shrinks, its economy will stagnate, even as global warming imposes growing costs on society. By mid-century its power will fade, reordering global politics.