Drawing on his time in Moscow during the early 1990s, Michael McFaul describes the revolutionary transition from Gorbachev's reforms to the radicalism of the Yeltsin era. He highlights the unprecedented uncertainty of the Soviet collapse and the subsequen

Drawing on his time in Moscow during the early 1990s, Michael McFaul describes the revolutionary transition from Gorbachev's reforms to the radicalism of the Yeltsin era. He highlights the unprecedented uncertainty of the Soviet collapse and the subsequent failure of the West to invest in Russia's democratic consolidation. McFaul notes that the 1992 U.S. election's focus on domestic issues distracted from providing critical political and economic assistance. Unlike the post-WWII era, the lack of a perceived external threat led to complacency about the "end of history." He stresses that supporting institutional demand for democracy is vital for long-term stability. (3/8)
1900 BRUSSELS