Russian Federation
Karen Escarcha, Harini Reddy,
Sophie Eiger, Andy Brightman
A History of Russia
1917-Present
Civil War 1917-1921
• The Russian Revolution began in 1917 in which the
unpopular Tsar Nicholas II was overthrown and a
provisional government was put in place.
The Bolshevik Party, led by Vladimir I. Lenin
overthrew the provisional government, and sparked
a bloody four year civil war between the Whites who
supported a democratic republic, and the Reds who
supported a Communist regime. Finally after four
years the Reds won and set up communist
government that later merged with other countries
to form the Soviet Union
Lenin 1921-1927
• The country was led by Lenin in which he
somewhat backed away from a hard line
communist stance, and began to privatize some
industries known as the New Economic Policy
(NEP), but with the death of Lenin he ideas of a
mixed economy died with him
Stalin 1927-53
• His reign by far was the most brutal of any
period in Russia's history. He abandoned Lenin's
ideas of a mixed economy and adopted a policy
of a total state economy, and prescribing 5 year
planning of the economy with a focus on heavy
industry. The country in became increasingly
regressive in the 1930's in which Stalin executed
in estimates 30 million people.
Khrushchev 1953-64
• Began a period known as Destalinization where
he denounced the policies of Stalin and began
liberalize some domestic policies, but continued
the growing ideological battle between the Soviet
Union and the United States
Brezhnev 1964-82
• Brought back Stalinization in which Brezhnev
began reinstitute Stalin's policies, but also
brought relief in some major tensions between
the US and the USSR. Also provide over an 11
year war with Afghanistan
Gorbachev 1985-91
• Mikhail Gorbachev became the first party leader
that as not at one time part of Stalin's regime he
put in place the policies of glasnost and
perestroika new policies of political, social, and
economic openness to western. This coupled
with the inherent weakness of the Soviet Union
led to the collapse of the control of satellite
countries and eventually the USSR itself in 1991
Yeltsin 1991-2000
• As Russia's first president his biggest
accomplishment was getting the people to
successfully resist a intended coup of Mikhail
Gorbachev. He oversaw the chaotic
transformation away from communism, but
many reforms were poorly planned and
ineffective leading to massive corruption.
Putin 2000-08
• Yeltsin's handpicked successor was Vladimir
Putin who was elected in 2000. He wanted to
restore regional power without damaging
western relations. During Putin's presidency he
oversaw a transform of major industries go back
in the government's hands, and the lessoning of
media freedoms. Finally political parties became
deeply fragmented leading to Putin's
overwhelming reelection in 2004.
Fun Fact Time!
• During the time
of Peter the
Great, what were
Russian men
taxed for?
• Having a beard
Sovereignty, Authority and
Power
Sovereignty, Gov. Authority, and
Power
• Sovereignty, though its meanings have varied
across history, also has a core meaning, supreme
authority within a territory.
• Government Authority is the authority within a
region
• Political power is the ability to shape and
control the political behavior of others and to
lead and guide their behavior in the direction
desired by the person, group, or institution.
History of ideologies in the history of
political power in the world:
• Absolutism
– Complete centralization of power into the
hands of one leader. These leaders have few, if
any restraints on what they can do within their
borders.
– In Russia under Peter the Great in the late 17th
- early 18th centuries.
– Reaction to this form of government was often
violent, many times resulting in revolutions
seeking greater political, social, and economic
freedoms.
History of ideologies continued
• Enlightenment
– The Enlightenment developed as an extension of the
Scientific Revolution. During the Scientific
Revolution, Europeans discarded traditional
beliefs and began using reason to explain the
world around them. While the Scientific Revolution
focused on the physical world, the Enlightenment
attempted to explain the purpose of
government, and describe the best form of it.
– However Russia, eschewed most of the
Enlightenment ideas because of its nature to
disregard Western ideas
History of ideologies in the history of
political power in the world (cont.):
• Enlightenment (cont.)
– In Russia, Catherine the Great introduced
reforms. She enacted laws for religious toleration and
free education, and also sought the advice of nobles and
peasants in the running of government. However, these
reforms seldom outlived the monarchs who had enacted
them.
• Communism
– Marx and Engels believed their theory to be based on
scientific principals and the study of history. They state
that human life has consisted of a struggle between the
people who have economic wealth, and those who do not.
– Communist revolutions occurred throughout as a result of
this ideology. Most notably, Russia became a communist
states replacing long standing monarchies.
History of ideologies in the history of
political power in the world (cont.):
• Fascism
– Totalitarian rule that is imperialistic,
nationalistic, and anti-communist.
– Fascism appeared in Italy and Germany after
World War I as both countries struggled with
political and economic ruin. Benito Mussolini in
Italy and Adolf Hitler in Germany used this new
ideology to gain power and control over their
countries.
– In the end, only the combined strength of the United
States, Great Britain, and the Soviet Union, were
able to defeat the Fascists.
History of ideologies in the history of
political power in the world (cont.):
• Modern Democracy
▫ Russia experienced with this form of government
resorting eventually to a liberal democracy.
 defend and increase civil liberties against the encroachment of
governments, institutions and powerful forces in society
 restrict or regulate government intervention in political, economic and
moral matters affecting the citizenry
 increase the scope for religious, political and intellectual freedom of
citizens
 question the demands made by vested interest groups seeking special
privileges
 develop a society open to talent and which rewards citizens on merit,
rather than on rank, privilege or status
 frame rules that maximize the well-being of all or most citizens
Importance of Pol. Culture
• Political culture may be defined as the political
psychology of a country or nation (or subgroup
thereof).
• Political culture facilitate democratic politics
and governmental performance
• The importance of political culture is that the
beliefs shared by the people of the country is
important in maintain unity. If there are
differences in opinion, instability is sure to arise.
Importance of Socialization
• To convert or adapt to the needs of society.
• To place under government or group ownership
or control.
Scope of Gov.
• The Russian government plays a big role in their
economy as they privatize everything and
everything is state-owned.
▫ Needs to diversify the economy further, as energy
and other raw materials still dominate Russian
exports
▫ World's largest exporter of natural gas and the
world's second-largest oil exporter
 Does anyone know who is number one?
Interesting Fact:
• In 2004 the number of abortions (1.6 million)
exceeded the number of live births (1.5 million),
continuing a trend of the early 2000s.
Political Institutions
Federation
• Consists of:
▫ 89 sub-national jurisdictions classified as
republics, oblasts (provinces), autonomous
oblasts, autonomous regions, and territories
▫ 21 republics, 49 oblasts (provinces), 6 territories,
10 autonomous regions, one autonomous oblast,
and two cities (Moscow and St. Petersburg) with
separate oblast statuses
Constitution
• Adopted on December 12th, 1993
• States:
▫ Government is composed of 3 branches
▫ Describes government's purpose
▫ Outlines the rights and responsibilities of citizens
• In Reality:
▫ Executive Branch is extremely powerful
▫ Nomenklatura system in place
 If ones file is favorable enough, his or her name was
placed on a nomenklatura list.
 People were selected from these lists for important
jobs within the party or government
Differences
Presidential
Parliamentary
• Difficult to
▫ Abuse power
▫ Act quickly and coherently
because checks are
necessary
 Prime Minister

Rarely needs to compromise
quick and decisive actions
Executive Branch
• President
▫ Elections:
 4 year term, 2 consecutive term limit
 Obtain one million signatures
 Two-ballot system
 If after the first election no candidate receives a
majority of the votes, the top two candidates have a run
off 2 weeks later
 Similar Election Process as in France
 Very difficult for the Duma to impeach the President
President
• Holds powers similar to those held by the U.S.
President
▫ Veto power
▫ Head of Armed Forces and Security Council
▫ May dissolve the government, call referendums,
and issue decrees
President
▫ Authority to appoint a wide variety of government
officials
 i.e. Prime Minister, Cabinet Members
 The houses of the bicameral legislative branch have
offered only weak opposition because of their
constitutional position and because effective
opposition parties do not exist
Legislative Branch
• Federal Assembly is bicameral
▫ The Upper House = The Federal Council
 178 members
 2 seats per jurisdiction
▫ The Lower House = The State Duma
 450 members
 Half the seats are selected in single member districts
 Whoever gets the most votes
 Half chosen on a proportional party-list basis
 Parties who win at least 5% of nation wide votes
▫ Election process for both is similar that of
Germany
Legislative Branch
• 4 year term
• The Federation Council
▫ Delays the passage of legislation
▫ Power has diminished since members have
become presidential appointees
• The State Duma
▫ Fun fact: Deputies scream each other, walk outs
and fist fights are common
▫ Approves Presidential appointment
Judicial Branch
• Similar to U.S. Federal Court System, however it
is much weaker
• Composed of:
▫ Constitutional Court
▫ Supreme Court
▫ Supreme Court of Arbitration
• Justices serve for life and are appointed by the
President
Judicial Branch
• Constitutional Court (19 member)
▫ Passes judgments on compliance with the federal
law and the Constitution
▫ Settles jurisdictional disputes between state
bodies
• Supreme Court (23 member)
▫ Rules on matters of civil, criminal, and
adminstrative law
• Superior Court for Arbitration
▫ Settles commercial disputes
Regional and Local Governments
• A governor heads each oblast, each republic, the
Moscow region, and the St. Petersburg region
• Municipal and oblast legislatures are unicameral
bodies
• Conflict often occurs between power of the
central and regional governments
▫ Power not clearly clarified by Constitution
▫ No judicial power or precedent to clarify
Suffrage
• Universal 18 years of age
Political Parties and Interest Groups
• Political Parties
▫ After living under a one-party rule, many Russians
are wary to join political organizations
▫ Only 22% of Russians identify themselves with a
party
▫ Little continuity exists
• Interest Groups
▫ Also weak
▫ Less independent of the state
▫ Cumbersome registration procedures deny legal
status of many groups
Bureaucracy
• Many members of the bureaucracy were from
the previous Communist System because they
have the necessary government experience
• Federal Security Bureau (FSB) replaced the KGB
▫ KompromatCompromising material that the
FSB contains about officials
Oligarchs
• Incredibly rich and powerful
• They own businesses controlling most natural
resources, industrial production, and media
Military
• Not actively involved in politics
• However man fear the military's future
involvement
Fun Fact Time!
• Russia has the
largest number
of what form of
entertainment?
• Movie Theaters
Citizens, Society, and the
State of Russia
Ethnic Clash
• Russians form 80% of population
• There are over 100 different national minorities that
make up the Altaic group, the Uralic group, and the
Caucasus group
• Ethnic conflict with regard to exit claims by former
satellite states that no longer want to be part of the
federation
• Chechen rebels have escalated their fight for
independence
• Volga-Urals region also experiences high levels of ethnic
conflict, but there is less physical violence than in
Chechnya due to their nationalizing policies and high
levels of economic independence
Religious Conflicts
• The country's predominate religion is the Russian
Orthodox Church.
▫ The government gives preferential treatment to this group
in the belief that it increases social cohesiveness
▫ This policy has negative effects on minority faith groups
• There is a strong anti-cult movement in Russia that
is opposed to "religious extremism" and includes
many benign new religious movements within that
category
• These conflicts have been spurred by racial
prejudice and territorial claims
Social Conflicts
• The social structure was characterized by selfperpetuation and limited mobility
• Ideology no longer determines social status
• Post communist society is also characterized by
a wide disparity in wealth and privilege
• Conditions for the working class and the
peasants are sharply at variance with those of
the new capitalist class
What is the role of a Civil Society?
 Non-governmental organizations and institutions that
manifest interests and will of citizens
 Civil society was reborn in Russia during the glasnost
era
 Non-governmental organizations still struggle to
obtain legitimacy, acceptance, and sustainability
 Russian social organizations, however, have had a
huge boom, vastly increasing in volume; these include
trade unions, veterans groups, youth organizations,
women’s associations, and sports clubs
 Less than 20% of Russians belong to a civic group
› Decline in Women of Russia and environmental groups
Media in Russia
 Completely under the influence of the
government
 The government wants the media to only
portray the government in a “positive light”
 Limited newspaper and magazine publications
Political Participation in Russia
 Currently growing, especially among the young
new generation who have been assimilating a
very western ideology in governmental matters
 Younger and educated Russians feel they have
basic liberal democratic values
› They also want to do away with anything that still
portrays the old regime
 Low party attachment leads to low voter turnout
 Voting rates have dropped since first democratic
election
Social Movements
 Main issues: trade unions, the environment
 Social issues: human rights, disabled organizations,
failed government policies
 31 listed Political Parties representing each
viewpoint
 Nazran Massacre horrific attacks which serve as
justification for retaliatory human rights violations
and lawless crackdowns by the authorities
 See picture on next slide
Citizenship and Social
Representation
• Although states are independent sovereign actors, many
still depend highly on Russia militarily and economically
• Citizenship policies are one tool that Russian elites use
to promote a homeland myth of Russia as a way to try to
regain the unintentional loss of an empire
• Russian citizenship entails no language requirement, no
residency requirement, and no test on
• Russian history, culture, or laws
• All of the post-Soviet states are multiethnic states, and in
most of the republics, the Russians are a significant
ethnic minority
▫ National identity in multiethnic states cannot be built on a common ethnicity, but it can
potentially be built on a common political community, which is defined through
citizenship
Fun Fact Time!
• For 70 years
following WWI,
the official State
Religion of
Russia was
what?
• Atheism
Public Policy
Economy
• The fall of the Soviet Union brought a loss of
economic strength
▫ There was an adequate level of economic stability
▫ The living standard was poor however in
Communist Russia
• Transition from a command economy to a
market economy was rough
▫ 1991, Yeltsin puts economy through an
unsuccessful “shock therapy”
Economy
• 2004, Stabilization Fund of the Russian
Federation becomes part of national budget
▫ Created to supplement a drop in oil price
• Putin doubles Russia’s GDP
▫ Makes Russia 11th in the world
Social
• Compared to their previous situation, Russian
citizens have more freedoms
• Income Gap and Corruption still exist
Globalism and Foreign Policy
• Western culture has “invaded” Russia
• Economy is liked to the world’s
Oil
• Russia makes partnership with western oil firms
• A one billion dollar push for oil research
• Oil is a large part of Russian economy
Terrorism
• Islamic terror is the most prominent in Russia
▫ Russia has banned several terrorist organizations
 Some say this is unfair due to the bias targeting of
Muslims
• Constant series of Chenchen rebellions
▫ 1999 Russian Apartment bombings
▫ Beslan School Hostage Crisis
Moscow Metro Bombing
• February 6, suicide bomber kills
41 people.
• Putin blames Chechen for the
blast.
▫ Chechen deny this accusation
• A previously unknown Chechen
group claims responsibility
▫ Celebrate the fourth anniversary
of the killing of the Chechen
civilians in Grozny.
Terrorism
• The creation of new security departments to seek
out information.
• Many Russians begin to push for peaceful
solutions to end all of the violence
Poverty
• Under Putin, the percentage of people living
beneath the poverty line went from 30% to 14%.
• Were benefits such as medicine, transportation,
and others allotted to the poor.
Sources
• Comparative Politics- Charles Hauss
• https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/theworld-factbook/geos/rs.html
• http://lcweb2.loc.gov/frd/cs/profiles/Russia.pd
f
• http://www.state.gov/r/pa/ei/bgn/3183.htm
• http://plato.stanford.edu/entries/sovereignty/
• http://www.proconservative.net/CUNAPolSci20
1PartOneC.shtml
Sources
• http://www.regentsprep.org/regents/global/the
mes/power/pol.cfm
• http://www.britannica.com/EBchecked/topic/1
084748/political-culture
Our take on….
rumblebeee: the early years!!!