NEWSLINK: “Putin the Balancer: Containing and Balancing Russia’s Multifarious Forces through Soft Authoritarianism” – Russian and Eurasian Politics/ Gordon M. Hahn

“… This suggests that to some extent, not just its policies but the regime itself may be malleable to change depending on the tenor or face (as well as potential threat) it presents to representatives of the ‘sistema’. Remember most observers assume Putin was really the man in charge during Medvedev’s thaw. Liberals, in particular the rather rabid liberal intelligentsia, would do well to take all of the above into account when it strategizes against the Putin regime. A strong pro-democracy opposition emerging from the liberal elements Putin has left in place might some day be in a position to change the regime non-violently. If strong enough, it might even nudge Putin to a final balancing act – democratic transition talks – and avoid the risks inherent in revolutionary regime transformations.”