India, May 24 -- One of the most stubborn misconceptions about Putinism is that it is pure autocracy. In other words, one man, one will, one iron grip. The reality is more complicated and, in some ways, more durable.

Every few months, like clockwork, waves of headlines sweep over Western media. Putin is sick. Putin is scared. Putin is one bad day away from a bullet or a coup. The Kremlin, sensing the narrative opportunity, swiftly counters with choreographed imagery, most recently, a video of a seemingly relaxed Putin driving himself through Moscow to visit a former schoolteacher, the picture of an untroubled man in command of his destiny. The pattern has become almost ritualistic. Western analysts and Ukrainian officials predict the Rus...