Comparing 1917 and 1991:
The Romanov Empire collapsed as a result of a revolution, the elites were overthrown and replaced by new elites as a result of the civil war
The Communist elites moved to divide the empire to recast themselves as leaders of independent nation-states –
or of units of the Russian Federation
A key reason why the Soviet empire made a relatively quiet exit was because key Soviet elites saw a future for themselves after communism
Transition to capitalism would enable most of them to maintain and even enhance their power and privilege