67 pages • 2 hours read
Alexei NavalnyPatriot
Nonfiction | Autobiography / Memoir | Adult | Published in 2024A modern alternative to SparkNotes and CliffsNotes, SuperSummary offers high-quality Study Guides with detailed chapter summaries and analysis of major themes, characters, and more.
Background
Historical Context: The Collapse of the Soviet Union
Content Warning: This section of the guide includes discussion of death.
Patriot plots the course of Russia after the collapse of the Soviet Union. The Soviet Union was established in 1922 after the Bolshevik Revolution of 1917, promising a communist society based on Marxist-Leninist principles. Over the decades, it became a global superpower, especially after World War II. It dominated Eastern Europe and engaged in a prolonged ideological conflict with the United States, which became known as the Cold War era.
By the late 20th century, the Soviet system faced numerous challenges. Since the Soviet economy heavily relied on oil and gas exports, it was vulnerable to fluctuating global prices. Additionally, the cost of maintaining a vast military-industrial complex in its arms race against the US strained resources. The Soviet economy began to falter in the 1970s due to stagnation in industrial and agricultural production. Poor infrastructure, outdated technology, and inefficient state enterprises worsened the crisis. Food shortages became common, leading to long queues and widespread dissatisfaction among citizens. The collapse in oil prices during the 1980s further exacerbated economic problems.
Mikhail Gorbachev became the general secretary of the Communist Party in 1985 and recognized that major reforms were necessary. He introduced two key policies: perestroika (“restructuring”) and glasnost (“openness”). Perestroika aimed to reform the Soviet economy by allowing limited market-like reforms and reducing state control. Glasnost encouraged political openness, freedom of speech, and a more transparent government. While Gorbachev’s reforms were intended to strengthen the Soviet system, they had unintended consequences. Glasnost exposed deep-seated social issues, historical injustices, and governmental failures, leading to a surge in public criticism. Meanwhile, perestroika destabilized the economy further, causing inflation, unemployment, and shortages.
As the Soviet grip weakened, nationalist movements emerged across its republics. Long-suppressed ethnic tensions surfaced, leading to calls for independence in the Baltic states of Estonia, Latvia, and Lithuania. In 1990, Lithuania declared independence, inspiring other republics to follow suit. In August 1991, hardline Communist Party members and military officials staged a coup against Gorbachev, attempting to reverse his reforms and restore authoritarian control. The coup failed due to widespread public resistance and the defiance of Boris Yeltsin, then-president of the Russian Republic. The failed coup further discredited the Communist Party and accelerated the Soviet Union’s disintegration.
In December 1991, leaders of Russia, Ukraine, and Belarus signed the Belovezha Accords, declaring the Soviet Union dissolved and establishing the Commonwealth of Independent States. On December 25, 1991, Gorbachev resigned as president of the Soviet Union, and the red Soviet flag was lowered from the Kremlin for the last time. The Soviet Union officially ceased to exist, leaving 15 independent nations in its place.
Political Context: The Rise of Vladimir Putin
Alexei Navalny was a fierce critic of Russian politician Vladimir Putin, who rose to power following the dissolution of the Soviet Union. The collapse of the Soviet Union in 1991 left Russia in political and economic disarray. Boris Yeltsin emerged as the first president of the Russian Federation, tasked with transitioning the country from a centralized communist state to a market-based democracy. This period was marked by severe economic hardship, hyperinflation, widespread corruption, and the rise of powerful oligarchs who gained control of former state assets through controversial privatization schemes. Yeltsin’s presidency faced significant challenges, including a weakening state apparatus, social unrest, and a brutal war in Chechnya. His administration’s inability to manage these crises eroded public confidence, creating a demand for stability and strong leadership.
Putin was born in 1952 in Leningrad. He studied law and joined the KGB in 1975; his KGB career included a posting in East Germany during the final years of the Cold War. Putin then returned to Russia as the Soviet Union disintegrated. He transitioned into politics in the early 1990s, becoming an aide to Anatoly Sobchak, the mayor of St. Petersburg. He rose rapidly through the city’s political ranks, and his work caught the attention of the Kremlin. In 1996, Putin moved to Moscow, where he held various roles in Yeltsin’s administration. In 1998, Yeltsin appointed him as director of the Federal Security Service, the KGB’s successor agency.
In August 1999, Putin was appointed prime minister. Although initially a relatively obscure figure, he quickly gained popularity due to his decisive handling of the Second Chechen War, presenting himself as a leader capable of restoring Russia’s strength. On December 31, 1999, Yeltsin unexpectedly resigned, making Putin the acting president. This move positioned Putin as the frontrunner for the upcoming presidential election. In March 2000, Putin won the presidency with broad public support, fueled by a nationalistic campaign emphasizing law, order, and economic stability. Putin’s early presidency focused on consolidating power, curbing the influence of oligarchs, and centralizing authority. High-profile confrontations with oligarchs like Boris Berezovsky and Mikhail Khodorkovsky sent a clear message that political power would remain firmly under state control.
Putin’s foreign policy emphasized restoring Russia’s status as a global power. Early in his presidency, he sought cooperative relations with the West. However, relations soured over NATO (North Atlantic Treaty Organization) expansion, US interventions abroad, and disagreements over Russia’s sphere of influence. Putin viewed Western policies as threats to Russian sovereignty and security. The 2008 war with Georgia marked a turning point, signaling Russia’s readiness to use military force to secure its interests. Subsequent actions, including the 2014 annexation of Crimea and intervention in Syria, demonstrated Putin’s strategy of assertive geopolitics aimed at countering Western influence.
Domestically, Putin’s rule increasingly leaned toward authoritarianism. Constitutional changes, electoral manipulation, and suppression of political opposition ensured his continued dominance. High-profile critics like journalist Anna Politkovskaya and opposition leader Boris Nemtsov were murdered under suspicious circumstances, fueling accusations of state complicity. In 2008, Putin stepped down due to constitutional term limits but maintained control as Prime minister under President Dmitry Medvedev. In 2012, he returned to the presidency after controversial elections and implemented constitutional reforms allowing extended terms, potentially enabling him to rule until 2036.
Authorial Context: The Death of Alexei Navalny
Patriot ends with the author in prison in 2024. The circumstances surrounding his reported death remain highly contentious and shrouded in mystery. Following a controversial trial, Navalny was sentenced to several years in a penal colony on charges widely seen as politically motivated. His imprisonment was condemned by the international community, including the European Union and the United States. The years that Navalny spent in prison are covered in Part 4 of Patriot.
While in prison, Navalny reported harsh conditions, solitary confinement, and declining health. His supporters claimed that he was being subjected to psychological and physical torture. His social media accounts, managed by his team, continued to share updates and messages of defiance. In mid-2024, reports emerged suggesting that Navalny had died under mysterious circumstances while in custody. Russian authorities provided little information, fueling widespread suspicion and outrage. Navalny’s supporters claimed that he had been deliberately killed, citing the Kremlin’s long history of silencing political opponents.
The news prompted mass protests across Russia, with thousands taking to the streets despite heavy police crackdowns. International leaders condemned the Russian government, calling for an independent investigation. Navalny’s reported demise intensified calls for stronger sanctions against Russia and increased support for Russian opposition groups. His story galvanized global awareness of human rights abuses in Russia. In the aftermath of his death, Russia faced growing isolation on the world stage, with intensified pressure from Western nations to account for its human rights record. Navalny’s name became synonymous with courage and the enduring struggle for freedom in the face of oppression.
