Problems of Centralised Power

At the very beginning of his presidency, Vladimir Putin announced that he was going to consolidate political powers in Russia into the so-called power vertical. However, despite being considered successful by many, this controversial endeavour partially backfired and led to the increasing factionalism within the president's inner circle. Although other institutions now became largely irrelevant, disputes and clashes between Kremlin factions, rather than the president's will, are getting more and more important in determining major policy outcomes.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Political_groups_during_Vladimir_Putin%27s_presidency

This is interesting.

As I understand it, Putin tried to move the political centre of gravity to his kitchen cabinet in order to maximise control. His kitchen cabinet is small and manageable, and close and manageable, appointed by people and manageable, and made up of people loyal to him.

The problem is that he made his cabinet or kitchen cabinet into the central political clearing house: i.e. the place where conflicting interests (and, for the less cynical, ideas) present in any country are resolved, usually with a compromise to some degree, "some degree" meaning the de facto defeat of one and the victory of another.

The effect of this is to attach enormous centrifugal forces to his kitchen cabinet, fragmenting it. One oil giant lobbies one cabinet member, another lobbies another. The "tight-knit"