This paper examines Russia as facing the greatest challenge in the transition from plan to market. It might even be argued that Russia faces the greatest political and economic challenge the world has ever known. As the mother of communism, Russia was longer steeped in its tenets than its satellite states. And as a geo-political behemoth, creating social consensus and moving towards democratic consolidation has always been next to impossible. In the end, Russia is an un-natural economic and political unit. To present, this has made success impossible, and more of the same can be expected in the future. Russia's next leader will inherit a legacy that is unwieldy, corrupt, bankrupt (morally and financially), and almost doomed to failure. Only if you have the hands of a magician, Mr. Primakov, can you make something of this disaster. 14 pgs. 24 f/c. 7b.
