The Russian oil industry—which vies with Saudi Arabia as the world’s largest producer and exporter of oil; providing nearly 12 percent of the global supply—is facing mounting problems that could send shock waves through the Russian economy and worldwide. Wheel of Fortune provides an authoritative account of this vital industry from the last years of communism to its uncertain future. Tracking the interdependence among Russia’s oil industry; politics; and economy; Thane Gustafson shows how the stakes extend beyond international energy security to include the potential threat of a destabilized Russia.Gustafson; a leading consultant and analyst of the politics of energy in the former Soviet Union; draws on interviews with key players over the course of two decades to provide a detailed history of the oil industry’s evolution since the breakup of the Soviet Union. At its center is the complex and fraught relationship between the oil industry and the state; which loosened its grip under Yeltsin only to tighten it again under Putin. As oil becomes harder to find and more expensive to produce and deliver; Gustafson warns; Russia’s growing dependence on revenue from oil exports; along with its inefficient and often-corrupt management of the industry; is unsustainable.A rich but troubled Soviet legacy; the conflicting ambitions of politicians and industry oligarchs; and the excesses of capitalism Russian-style threaten to lead Russia to an impasse. Involving the oil industry in the country’s modernization agenda and remaking its relationship to the state; Gustafson argues; is Russia’s best path toward a stable economy and a safer world.
#610982 in Books 2010-09-07 2010-08-09Original language:EnglishPDF # 1 9.12 x .98 x 5.88l; 1.27 #File Name: 0674057406392 pages
Review
0 of 0 people found the following review helpful. Seller experience was excellent. This book is recommended for anyone who is ...By dtheasSeller experience was excellent. This book is recommended for anyone who is interested in how the US current political situation can be traced back to Sam Walton and the Wal-Mart experience. Actually a really scary read.2 of 3 people found the following review helpful. Interesting readBy API had to read this for a college course and then do a report/analysis of the book. Learning about the history of Wal-Mart and their owner was pretty interesting. She explains how it started as a one stop shop in an Ozark town and how it grew into the behemoth it is today. Definitely check it out if you are interested in the origins of the Wal-Mart; but also how Christianity and the Republican party play a role in that as well. It gets a little slow towards the end of the book; but pretty solid overall.11 of 14 people found the following review helpful. fine scholarshipBy samI live and teach in Arkansas; although most of my life and education have been in other regions of the country. No single book has given me more insight into the region in which I now live. I can attest to the author's statements about the culture and values of this region based on my daily experience here in WalMart country. Her judgments ring true. I didn't find the book overly tendentious and; in fact; some of the interpretations she makes strike me as almost too generous.
