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The purpose of this paper is to take stock of the major political consequences that the August 2008 war had (or did not have) for Georgia: how the war affected Georgia's internal political dynamics and its policies toward its separatist conflicts, its neighbors, and the world. I start by briefly summarizing my views on the nature of and reasons for the war, and on its impact (or the lack thereof) on the global security architecture. These constitute the backdrop against which changes in Georgia can be understood. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article discusses Russian politics in the late 20th and early 21st centuries. It is said that Russia remains suspended between democracy and authoritarian rule, but has been moving away from democracy under the leadership of Vladimir Putin. Its resemblance to oil-dependent "petrostates" is also discussed. Russian nationalism is addressed, and the foreign policy decisions of Russian elites are said to reflect some widespread Russian values, despite the shortcomings of Russian attempts at representative democracy. A set of common Russian political views is described. These are said to include resentment toward the United States, reflexive cynicism about democratic ideals, and a sentimental valorization of the country's Imperial and Soviet past.