Of Dark Arts and Dictators—Why the Russian Constitution Matters: The Constitutional Dark Arts by William Partlett†
Alasdair McCallum · 2026
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Description
Alasdair McCallum reviews William Partlett's book on the Russian constitution in a 2026 review essay. Scholars often dismiss the constitutions of authoritarian states as shams or fig leaves. Partlett argues instead that the Russian constitution sits at the center of what he calls the constitutional dark arts. The practice concentrates power in the elected president while claiming to uphold rights and democracy.
McCallum explains how the book doubles as a new constitutional history of Russia and a general model that can be applied to democracies sliding toward autocracy as well. Partlett's answer to his own question, whether the Russian constitution matters, is plainly yes. The review commends the book to scholars of comparative constitutional law, democratic decline, and post-Soviet studies.
Catalog record
| CREATOR | Alasdair McCallum |
|---|---|
| YEAR | 2026 |
| COLLECTION | PAPERS |
| FORMAT | TXT |
| FILE SIZE | 53 KB |
| VERSION | 1.0 |
| LICENSE | CC BY 4.0 |
| RIGHTS | CC BY |
| SOURCE | Europe PMC |