Recent Essays

Although written in a class setting under strict formatting guidelines, this essay examines the onset of the 2022 Russo-Ukrainian war through the lens of a commitment problem from the bargaining model of war, arguing that the conflict is a result of a breakdown in bargaining over the future of Ukraine. It also analyzes Russia’s decision to invade as a miscalculation, and argues that the war's outcome is dependent on a shifting balance of power and a new understanding of state-to-state relations in a post-Soviet era.

This essay also utilized AI, as allowed by the course, and the entire transcript can be found from page 6 onwards.

This essay explores the successes and failures of Joseph Stalin's Five-Year Plans. It argues that his economic policies achieved remarkable short-term industrial growth, and possibly long-term growth, if not for the onset of WW2. Despite its countless shortcomings, these ambitious plans laid the groundwork for a formidable industrial base that was ultimately essential for the Soviet Union's war effort.

This essay traces the evolution of power networks in post-Soviet Russia, from the criminal underworld to the rise of powerful oligarchs. It argues that the elites who emerged after 1991 no longer fit the traditional definition of "oligarchs," as their influence is now dependent on the Kremlin rather than independent political or economic power.

With over 28,000 designations, the current sanctions regime has failed to alter the Kremlin’s political calculus or cripple its war effort. This memo analyzes how Russia has leveraged its status as a "commodity superpower" to harden itself against Western sanctions and continue trading oil and raw materials with aligned and un-aligned nations such as China, India, and Turkiye.

In this memo, I provide recommendations to the President for future actions against Russia to hinder their ability to continue waging their war of attrition, as the current sanction regime is ineffective.