David Hoffman

In the following viewpoint, David Hoffman, a journalist for the Washington Post, argues that the Russian government has failed to establish the rule of law, strengthen its legal institutions, and successfully revise and implement a new legal code after the fall of the Soviet Union. The resulting anarchy, Hoffman writes, has resulted in widespread corruption that has crippled the economy. It has also led to the growth of organized crime and a proliferation of criminal violence, including contract killings.

As you read, consider the following questions:

1. What anecdote does the author use to illustrate the extent of Russian lawlessness?
2. What fundamental assumption does Hoffman say Russian reformers made about the transferral of state property to private owners?
3. How have Russia’s political...