Who is Mr Lukashenka? Do Belarusians support him out of fear and/or because they are blinkered, or there are other factors that help to explain his longevity as a national leader? The book seeks answers to these questions on the premise that Lukashenka's rule ought to be viewed in the context to which it truly belongs, that is, the context of Belarusian history and identity, not as a form of government (dictatorship) deceitfully imposed on an allegedly benighted people whom better positioned and informed outsiders seek to enlighten and liberate.
The author makes use of two extensive personal interviews with President Lukashenka. They present a truly unique body of primary data. Many personal traits of Belarus's president are on full display in the interviews. Anybody willing to come up with his/her opinion about Lukashenka, not necessarily in line with that of the author of this book, can use this material.
Review: 'In this refreshing rejection of globalist doxa concerning the march of democracy, Grigory Ioffe offers a balanced and informed account of one of the contemporary world's most successful political leaders, showing how Alexander Lukashenka has channeled the cultural imperatives of his country and exploited Belarus's strategic position to craft a distinct socio-economic order whose overriding ethos is equality of condition'. - Michael Urban, Emeritus Professor of Politics, University of California, Santa Cruz, USA Wedged between Russia and Europe, Lukashenka has always played a delicate balancing act between Russia and the West in an increasingly important NATO borderland.
Understanding that delicate relationship and what makes Belarus tick is the heart of what Grigory Ioffe addresses in his book. It is rare to find such exceptional research on such a difficult subject that is more objective and balanced than Ioffe's work on Belarus. - Glen E. Howard, President, The Jamestown Foundation, USA 'In his new book, Grigory Ioffe pursues the ambitious task of explaining the political longevity of the Belarusian president Alexander Lukashenka.
Following up on his 2008 study 'Understanding Belarus and Why Western Foreign Policy Misses the Mark', Ioffe dismisses any simplistic - yet popular - explanations drawing on 'repression and fear' and uses unique material, his own personal interviews with Lukashenka, to present a much more informed and nuanced story.
Focused on Belarus, the book makes an important contribution to the understanding of leadership in the post-Soviet region.' - Elena Gapova, Department of Sociology, Western Michigan University, USA and European Humanities University, Lithuania
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