From Rasputin to Putin: Myth, Power and Russia

Why does myth and charisma have the power to shape Russia’s politics? Author Antony Beevor and journalist Luke Harding discuss.

In the brave new world of 21st century geopolitics, Russia has shown that myth and charisma shape politics as much as laws or institutions. But was it ever different?

In his latest book, Antony Beevor re-examines Rasputin, the “mad monk” whose influence at the heart of the Romanov court helped hasten the collapse of imperial Russia. In conversation with ‘The Guardian’ journalist Luke Harding, an acclaimed chronicler of modern authoritarian Russia, they explore how charisma and storytelling have shaped the country’s past and present.