Leadership, a mainstay of Soviet political studies, has been a much-neglected subject since the collapse of the Soviet regime. However, developments in post-Soviet affairs show that leadership still matters greatly, even as democratization in many states has opened up the political process to wider circles of the population. This volume explores new developments and old continuities in elite politics in the Russian Federation and other post-Soviet states during the period of transition and consolidation. The contributing authors analyze the significance of personal character and values, of changing leadership roles and institutions, and of cultural and historical traditions for the functioning and effectiveness of the new governments and their top leaders.