Power in Small Russian Towns: An Empirical Analysis

Social Sciences. 2025. Vol. 56. No. 3. P. 18–36.

Chirikova A., Ledyaev V. G.

This article summarizes the results of a long-term (2011-2023) study of power in six small Russian towns. The primary research method was in-depth interviews with representatives of the local and regional elites. The central research question addressed the extent to which diversity and autonomy in local power practices persist amid the consolidation of the “power vertical” in Russia.

The study revealed both significant variability in power relations and a set of shared features and characteristics. These findings make it possible to delineate an empirical model of power in Russian towns, which includes typical and interrelated characteristics of power relations in small towns: a very narrow circle of individuals wielding significant influence over the local community; the absence of influential civil society actors; the weak autonomy of urban elites; the distinct role of personal factors; a predominance of informal practices over formal ones; greater dynamism in power relations within Russian urban communities compared to those in the US and Europe; and a low likelihood of forming full-fledged urban regimes.

These seven interconnected characteristics of power relations identified in the six small towns appear to be natural and consistent, as they are largely shaped by the specific features of the Russian context. The variability in power practices was often driven by personal factors, the socio-economic situation, and the involvement, or lack thereof, of business in urban politics.

Keywords: Russia, politics, power, urban regimes, small towns, local governance