VERTICAL OF POWER

Vertical of power: translation

While the notion of a “vertical of power” (vertikal’ vlasti) within the Russian state dates to 1993, whenBorisYeltsinused it to describe an attempt to streamline governance in the Russian Federation, the concept became synonymous with the administration ofVladimir Putin. From 2000 to 2005, Putin set about implementing his plans to reduce the power of thefederal subjectsvis-à-vis the central government, especially with the gubernatorialelectoral reforms of 2004-2005, which allowed him to create a “single chain of command” and expand the power of the executive branch of the government.In addition to the depletion ofasymmetricalfederalism, Putin also sought to reign in the press and eliminate theoligarchsas a political force in the country. Through the encouragement of an alliance between the so-calledsiloviki>and corporate interests, he was able to create synergy between Russia’seconomicandpoliticalelites. Putin framed his neo-authoritarian agenda as an attempt to purge Russia of the chaos (bespredel) of the 1990s, whenmafia,separatists, and other antistate interests sapped Russia of its power and prestige around the world. The dramatic resurgence of the state under Putin, however, has been viewed as acutely detrimental to the country’s fledglingcivil society. Since assuming the presidency,Dmitry Medvyedevhas signaled his intent to hew the sharper edges of the vertical of power.