At a Fork in the Road Civil Society and Politics in Russia

Since the dissolution of the Soviet Union, Russia has changed fundamentally. During Perestroika, civil society exploded. Since then, non-governmental organisations and initiatives have been steady in their engagement on the one hand; on the other hand, they are weak and exposed to the political climate. Co-operation between NGOs and the state in times of a de facto ban on politics is only possible if the illusion of the "unpolitical" activity of NGOs is maintained. Now, many representatives of civil society see themselves at a fork in the road. The renunciation of a fundamental modernization of the economy and politics that accompanies Vladimir Putin's return to the presidency will have consequences for civil-society.