Professional or Patrimonial? The Staff of the Government Apparatus of the Russian Federation

An analysis of the education and career experience of 107 officials of the central government apparatus during Mishustin’s prime ministership, as a contribution to the literature on the professionalism of Russian state officials. That literature is placed in the context of the widespread characterization of state officials as incompetent and corrupt placeholders within a patrimonial system. The analysis also contributes to another literature, on the presence of siloviki in civilian institutions, as well as to consideration of the role of the government apparatus in the Russian policy system. The findings are in favor of the professionalism of state officials; the limited presence of siloviki; and that the government apparatus is probably more than a bureaucratic gatekeeper.