No there isn't much of a civil society but neither is every facet of live in Russia controlled by anyone. If you're an average Russian right now you work in the

No there isn't much of a civil society but neither is every facet of live in Russia controlled by anyone. If you're an average Russian right now you work in the private sector in a job of your choosing, you have a faith of your choosing and go about your day, there's no party or state to be seen. (what 'party' even, as Russia isn't communist any more). Oligarchy and totalitarianism are opposed concepts. Russia is indeed pretty corrupt, oligarchic and mafia like, but that means there isn't that much state capacity left as private and public interests are divided and self-interested. Actual totalitarians first annihilate the oligarchs which siphon from the state. Stalin was totalitarian. Mao's red guards were totalitarian. No comparable force exists in modern Russia.