The author, senior fellow and director of the economic policy program at the Carnegie Moscow Center, writes that the newly appointed Russian government officials are a perfect fit for “the country’s current internal political moment." These officials also signify the final stage in the transition to an authoritarian style of government. The domestic policies of Putin's fourth term are clear: reject change and development in favor of "creative accounting" and propaganda. One example is Putin's goal to make Russia the fifth largest economy in the world. By measuring GDP by purchasing power parity, Russia falls behind Germany, the current number five, by a mere 4.5 percent. If Russia's statistical agency lowers purchasing power parity by 10 percent more, mission accomplished—Russia has overtaken Germany. Similar slights of hand may be applied to Putin's other domestic policy goals, including "ensuring a 'total fertility coefficient of 1.7.'" The author notes that Russia is aware that it is stuck somewhere between socialism and capitalism, and that the coming decades will likely bring little more than stagnation. The trick for Russia's leaders will be "to convincingly declare" that this is the successful end goal. 

Read the full article at the Carnegie Moscow Center.

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