An examination of "political life" and "legal life" in contemporary Russia, dealing with the problems of creating a law-based state; safeguarding of human rights; the role of authority, wealth, privilege; legal control of lobbying and populism. Chapter headings are: 1. General nature of political life 2. General nature of legal life in contemporary Russia 3. The law-based state: theory and practice in Russia 4. Goals and means in politics and law: problems of coordination 5. Human rights and legal interests in Russia 6. Money, power, law 7. Lobbying and ways to control it 8. Russia's political elite and privilege 9. Populism as a disease of "democratic" power 10. Information, politics, law 11. Science, power, law: problems of interaction.