Russlands "neuer Adel" [Russia's new nobility]
Subtitle: Die Macht des Geheimdienstes von Gorbatschow bis Putin [The power of the intelligence community from Gorbachev to Putin]
Publisher: ibidem-Verlag
Published: 2014
Place of publication: Stuttgart/Germany
Language: ger
Format: Paperback
Number of pages: 420
ISBN-13: 9783838205847
Description: The book deals with the role of the KGB and its Russian successor FSB in the political and social transformation process in the late USSR and post-Soviet Russia. It focuses on the question, what was the power and creative potential of the intelligence community in the Soviet and Russian transformation process? The problems of continuity of KGB structures as well as Chekist ideology and behavior in the Russian security services had a strong impact on the relationship between security organs, politics and society in the past two decades. There were and still are indications of various forms of penetration and influence on politics and society by the state security organs not only in the Soviet Union, but also in its legal successor, the Russian Federation (RF). In turn, this can be seen as an indicator of control and therefore of the autonomy of secret services. Consequential findings allow further statements about causal relationships for the success or failure of political democratization processes in transitional societies.

The dimensions of the secret service’s penetration and autonomy in the USSR/RF were considerably high. There were hardly any changes. The KGB/FSB had proven for almost the entire period of investigation that in a predetermined, deficient legal and regulatory framework it was not only able to provide information, but also to exert influence. Its conspiratorial and therefore non-transparent approach increased the penetration effect and prevented the creation of basic conditions for a necessary democratic limitation of an accumulation of power by the secret service. Consequently, this resulted in the usurpation of political power. In carrying out its activities the secret service had a high degree of independence from external state influence. It operated largely autonomously from the state powers in regard to the pursuit of its goals and methods of gathering information. A functioning effective system of control and oversight which could reduce the state security organ’s autonomy did not exist because of a significant penetration of state and society. This reflected the low prospect of a successful democratization process.

Keywords: intelligence, secret service, transformation, KGB, FSB, Soviet Union, Russia
Table of contents: title: Chapter 1 I Einleitung I 1; title: Chapter 2 I Geheimdienst und politisches Regime I 5; title: Chapter 3 I Die Entwicklung des KGB/FSB von Gorbatschow bis Putin I 19; title: Chapter 4 I Die Durchdringung der staatlichen und gesellschaftlichen Strukturen I 63; title: Chapter 5 I Die geheimdienstliche Autonomie: Ausgestaltung des Kontroll- und Aufsichtssystems I 189; title: Chapter 6 I Fazit I 291; title: Chapter 7 I Die jüngsten Entwicklungen in Russland: Der ewige Putin? I 301; title: Chapter 1 I Introduction 1; title: Chapter 2 I Intelligence and Political Regime I 5; title: Chapter 3 I The Development of the KGB/FSB from Gorbachev to Putin I 19; title: Chapter 4 I The Penetration of State and Sociatal Structures I 63; title: Chapter 5 I The Intelligence Community's Autonomy: the Organization of Control and Oversight I 189; title: Chapter 6 I Conclusion I 291; title: Chapter 7 I Latest Developments in Russia: Putin Forever? I 301