Putin and the Opening of Russia
Year: 2025

Abstract This chapter shows that while Putin’s public attitudes toward the key features of a market economy—privatization, protection of property rights, “liberal” economic policy, and open international trade—were strongly positive during his first two terms, they became increasingly negative during the following two. The chapter also shows that his policies toward the presence and investment of Western businesses in Russia, and toward the economic roles of Russians in the West, were relatively