"Recent commentators on Russia's economic reforms have almost uniformly declared them a disappointing - and avoidable - failure. In this book, two American scholars take a new and more balanced look at the country's attempts to build capitalism on the ruins of Soviet central planning. They show how and why the Russian reforms achieved remarkable breakthroughs in some areas but came undone in others.". "Renewing a strain of analysis that runs from Machiavelli to Hirschman, the authors reach conclusions about political strategies that have important implications for other reformers. They draw on their extensive knowledge of the country and recent experience as advisors to Russian policymakers. The book should appeal to economists, political scientists, policymakers, businesspeople, and all those interested in Russian politics or economics."--BOOK JACKET.