The Re-Election of Vladimir Putin

ABOUT THE BOOK

The big news out of Russia these days is that Vladimir Putin is pulling a Franklin Delano Roosevelt and that the people are not happy about it.

Just like his American counterpart, Putin decided to go after the unprecedented third presidential term. When Roosevelt muscled his way into a third election, the two term limit was simply an unwritten rule, harking back to the tradition George Washington set, but in Putins Russia, the limit is written into the constitution.

To be fair to Putin, no part of Russias constitution has been actually defied. It would be more accurate to say that Putin has simply found a way to sidestep constitutional intent. The constitution mandates that no President shall serve more than two consecutive terms in office. Putin served his two consecutive terms, took a four-year break as Prime Minister (not to shabby of a downgrade), and is now ready to be President again.

MEET THE AUTHOR

Hayley Igarashi is a student at UC Davis preparing to graduate this summer with a degree in both history and philosophy. She likes learning new things about the past and the present, but her guilty pleasure is a good science fiction tale set in a distant, often dystopian future. When not studying for school, she enjoys reading books while drinking a hot cup of tea, watching movies while eating junk food, and spending time with friends and family in invigorating outdoor settings.

EXCERPT FROM THE BOOK

This first chapter of his life reveals, if nothing else, Putin as an opportunist. While clearly gifted with intelligence, he needed much more than that to ascend the ranks of both the KGB and Sobchaks administration. In a practice similar to one that he would employ later as President, Putin used his relationships with other powerful figures to benefit himself as much as possible. That sounds selfish because it is, but its also clever and incredibly hard to pull off. In a world where everyone is already suspicious of each others motives and allegiances,

Putin managed to almost effortlessly tip-toe is way up the political ladder. It is interesting to wonder what Putin himself aspired to in those early years, after the dream of being a spy dissolved into the actual reality of being one. At what point did he set his sights set upon the presidency? Whenever that was, his political drive and ambition is impressive, if only because it appears almost unmatched. What Putin wants, Putin seems to geta thought-provoking (if not possibly alarming) insight.

CHAPTER OUTLINE

The Re-Election of Vladimir Putin

+ Introduction

+ Analysis and Commentary

+ Conclusion

+ Trivia

+ ...and much more