Crisis Neopatrimonialism: How the World Cup 2018 Reflects Russia’s New Political Economy

• In Event: The 2018 World Cup in Russia

Abstract

The drop in the oil price, international sanctions, and the collapse of the ruble since 2014 have led to a severe economic recession in Russia. This paper argues that this has resulted in the emergence of crisis neopatrimonialism. This concept describes the growing competition for rents in exchange for loyalty in a situation of increasingly scarce resources. The paper examines the 2018 World Cup in Russia as a lens to demonstrate the features of crisis neopatrimonialism.

Author

• Sven Daniel Wolfe, U of Zurich (Switzerland)