This book investigates the trajectory of Russian economic policy under Vladimir Putin and the resulting structural consequences for the nation's development. Anders Aslund, a senior fellow at the Atlantic Council and a long-time observer of post-Soviet economies, utilizes historical data and macroeconomic analysis to argue that Putin's policies shifted from initial market-oriented reforms to a state-capitalist model characterized by cronyism and stagnation. The text examines the interplay between political consolidation and economic decision-making over the course of two decades.

Experts frequently cite this work as a rigorous critique of the Russian state-capitalist model. Readers note the high level of technical detail regarding fiscal policy and the author's clear stance on the long-term economic costs of political centralization.