Russia 2010: And What It Means for the World

In a bold report, Pulitzer Prize-winning historian Yergin ( The Prize ) and Gustafson, a Georgetown University professor of government, outline several potential scenarios for the future of Russia. The most optimistic one, `` Chudo '' (Russian for miracle ), predicts an economic renaissance based on vastly improved efficiency, capital investment to rebuid the social and physical infrastructure and production of new types of goods. More pessimistic scenarios range from a ``Red-Brown'' coalition of communists and fascists, to a noncommunist but conservative technocracy, to the dissolution of Russia itself as the Russian Far East and Siberia are drawn into the orbits of China and Japan. The authors believe that regardless of which scenario occurs, some form of capitalism will evolve by the year 2010. (Nov.)