Discussion On Michael Mcfaul's Research On The 'Democracy Transition' Of Russia

Russian studies as a comprehensive study of the Russian state and ethnic discipline,in most countries are quite valued.After the cold war,Russia studies in the United States experienced a stage of transition and diversified development,and Michael McFaul,as a representative of the Mesozoic era of American Russia studies,began to emerge in the American Russia studies after the cold war.His research on the democratic transition of Russia provides a perspective for us to understand the domestic political transition of Russia,and the research results have become a part of Russia studies in the United States after the cold war.McFaul's research on democratic transition in Russia presents different characteristics at different stages in terms of content,methods and characteristics.First,he used the "revolutionary transition theory" to construct his analysis framework of Russian democratic transition,and regarded the collapse of the Soviet union and the subsequent democratic transition in Russia as a "revolutionary transition";secondly,he applies the "economic analysis tool" to the democratic transition and shows the political nature of Russian economic problems by studying the privatization of Russian economy.Then,"path dependence" has also becomes a part of his research paradigm.He is believed that the uncertainty of Russian democratic transition is rooted in the specific path dependence of Russian transition.Finally,he supplements the research paradigm of "institutional structure" to make up for the possible deficiencies of his institutional analysis.McFaul finally summed up some valuable conclusions such as "role center","change agenda","balance of power","economic reform" and so on.As the U.S.ambassador to Russia during the Obama administration(2012-2014),He brought together three identities: scholar,diplomat and intercultural.He's diplomatic thoughts and activities all reflect the purpose of serving the national interests of the United States,and his democratic transition theory is endowed with various characteristics.It is not logical to force him to surpass the national interests of the United States.McFaul,as a member of the ‘revolving door' of academic and political communication,perfectly explained how a "non-professional diplomat" became a "real diplomat of the 21 st century" when he served as ambassador to Russia.