Present and future of Russian politics: from diagnosis to forecast

The purpose of the study is to define the common features of contemporary Russian politics and identify its prospects in this regard. These issues are interconnected as the determination of the future status of Russian politics (forecast) is naturally preceded by the analysis of its present state (diagnosis). The author distinguishes three key characteristics of domestic politics. The first and the core one is the independence of power from society (kratocracy). In the author’s opinion, Russian authority is a system that is independent of the society and includes the source and mechanisms of reproduction and legitimation. The second characteristic is the modified meaning of politics when it is transformed from the tool of social management into the struggle of administrative authorities for power and property. Finally, the third distinctive feature of politics is the decline in the quality of public administration. These qualities determine the current state of Russian politics, and their development (reproduction) is the basis for its future status.