Bell Ringer
 Complete Activity 1: Karl Marx & the Communist
Manifesto

Don’t do Question #7 yet – we will do in class later
Please staple together & turn in:
1. 1st draft
2. 2 peer reports
3. turn it in.com report
4. rubric
Russia & China
RUSSIA
Today we will …
Objectives
Agenda
 Discuss Russia in a
 Slide/Notes
 Geography and political
culture of Russia
 Review Political
institutions
 Linkage Institutions
comparative context:
history, political
culture, linkage
institutions
 Compare the electoral
systems of Russia and
Mexico
 Activity Mexico v
Russia electoral
systems
 Closure: Quiz
The Russian Federation is the world’s
largest country, 6th most populous
Political Culture: Communist
 Communist Manifesto (1848)


Democratic Centralism a form of
democracy in which the interests of the
masses were discovered through
discussion within the Communist
party, and then decisions were made
under central leadership to serve those
interests
Communist Party, hierarchical
structure, vanguard party
 Karl Marx predicted that
capitalism would no longer be
available economic system after
the revolution of the proletariat
Communism Values
• Workers
• Equality
• Cooperation
Nomenklatura
 Nomenklatura, the
process of filling
influential jobs in the
state, society, or the
economy with people
approved chosen by
the Communist party.
Legitimacy in the rule of a one party system
Political Culture: Regime Change
 1991 break up of Soviet Union- Boris Yeltsin first President
 FRAGMENTATION: divisions based on ethnic or cultural identity (vs.
nationalism)
 Democratic deficit in former Soviet states? (2011)
 1993 Constitution established a hybrid presidential-parliamentary
system



Constitution is gaining legitimacy, but not checks and balances in practice?
Referendum on Constitution of three branch government, president / prime
minister, bicameral, Constitutional Court
Yeltsin called for referendum on his job performance, supported but not a clear
majority.
 Holdovers from Soviet Union
 Russians are more likely to believe in equality of result, rather than equality
of opportunity.
 Civil society is limited
Check for understanding
 According to Karl Marx’s vision of a communist society,
governments would be unnecessary because the
______________ would control the
_______________. (bourgeoisie, proletariat)
 Leninism
Peasant-based society
Industrialization
Democratic centralism
 Maoism
•
Thinking About Russia

Diversity



USSR = Russia and 14 other former Soviet states
Most groups were forced into the Russian empire prior to the
Communist revolution
By 1991 each republic had declared some form of sovereignty or
independence from central rule
Social
Cleavages
Ethnic Groups in
Russia (2010)
•
Russian 77%
•
Tatar 3.7%
•
Ukrainian 1.4%
•
Bashkir 1.1%
•
Chuvash 1.1%
•
Chechen 1%
•
Other 14%
Social Cleavages
 Ethnic minorities have been scattered
by invasion and expansion, so that
borders are difficult to draw
 Large variety of cultural groups
makes communication with & control
by the government more difficult
 Ethnic minorities in the north and
east are very different from minorities
in southern Russia and the Caucasus
 Frequent border changes have meant
that particular groups have
sometimes been under Russian
control and sometimes not
Ethnic Cleavages
 BBC:Chechnya at war
Most Chechens not Russian - Muslim,
divisions within Caucus Region
Chechnya also held a referendum on a
Chechen constitution, which includes
that it is an “inseparable part of Russia”.
Ukraine
Russia
 Democratic Centralism
 Communist past
 “Soft Authoritarianism”
 Lack of a civil society
 Equality of Results vs. Equality of Opportunity
 Constitution is gaining legitimacy, but not respected
Check for understanding
 Russia
Equality of Opportunity
Equality of Results
 Britain
Noblesse oblige
Nationality
Political Institutions
Russian Federal System
Asymmetrical Federalism
 Power has devolved
unequally across
Russia leaving some
regions much stronger
than others
 Governors are now
appointed by the
President & approved
by the local legislatures
Dual Executive
Prime Minister
President
 NOW: two successive 6
year terms.
 Head of State


Roles: appoint PM & cabinet,
issue decrees, dissolve the
Duma
Gorbachev:



Perestroika & glasnost.
Putin: more power to
executive, More
authoritarian than Yeltsin
Referendums
 Appointed by
President, approved by
Duma
 Head of Government


Roles: Replace President,
Head Bureaucrat
May be removed by Pres.
or vote of no confidence
by Duma
Vladimir Putin
 As President …



Increased economic stability
Decreased civil liberties
Concentration of power within
the office of the President
(cracked down on Russian
"oligarchs", especially Mikhail
Khodorkovsky and his oil firm
Yukos)
 In 2012

Re-elected into office 63.6% of
the vote, although the strength
of his popularity may be
diminishing due to the
protests of election fraud being
raised by citizens of Russia
Political Socialization
Strong but caring leader
The Executive (2 of 2)
Elite Recruitment: Nomenklatura
Bicameral Legislature: Federal Assembly
State Duma – Lower House

PR, 7% threshold (from
5% in 2007 / consolidating
Federation Council – Upper
House

power within Putin's party)


Party-list votes
Duma has the power to
veto the President’s
appointment of the Prime
Minister


Until 2002, formed of the
Governors and the Duma
heads of each region.
Now Federation Council
members are nominated
by the Governors and local
legislatures = 2 per region
Putin wants to reform to
popular election
Judicial Branch
 Supreme Court: highest
 Appointed by Federation
appellate body
 Constitutional Court:
power of judicial review,
and disputes between
government entities
 Court of Arbitration:
commercial disputes
Council on
recommendation of Pres.
 Jury tampering
 Abolish the Arbitration
Court?
Check for Understanding- Institutions
 Duma
Represents the people
Represents the regions
 Federation Council
PR
Has limited power
Has no power
Appointed
Linkage Institutions
Interest Groups
State Corporatism
 Prior to the dissolution of the Soviet Union, the government
would create pro-communist interest groups as a part of patronclient relationships; after the Union's fall, as more interest
groups opposed to the government attempted to be formed, the
regime constricted their formation and their influence.
 Result is weaker
& less independent interest groups
 Regime has mounted many obstacles that make it
harder for interest groups to mobilize and attempt to
exert some form of influence
 Low rates of involvement in interest groups hint that
there is a sense of alienation for many of these groups.
Oligarchs
 Business & political leaders with undue influence in
Russia
 The oligarchs are extremely rich men, who came to
wealth by stealing during the collapse of USSR and
the ensuing chaos.
 They often deal in commodities (oil, precious
metals).
 If they seek public office, Putin will convict them of
crimes and sentence them to lengthy prison terms to
avoid competition.
Youth Movements (ex: NASHI)
 Youth movements such Nashi (est. 2005) have shown a rise in political
participation. Also, the youth had generally expressed great support for
Putin, which demonstrates that Putin's personality unified Russians.


Claim to oppose fascism in Russia.
Russian history and values as well as forming volunteer groups to help maintain law and
order.
 Their support of Putin has led them to avoid political consequences that
other groups might not be able to evade.
NGO’s
 Putin has reduced the amount of NGOs operating in Russia, most
recently Amnesty International, and returned to the old Soviet mistrust
of westerners.
 The reason that the government gives while removing any NGOs trying
to operate in Russia, especially if they're American-based, is that the
NGOs are engaging in espionage and threatening national security.
 In addition, NGOs are thought to delegitimize government since the
function of NGOs are to fill in areas in which the government lacks in.
Media
 Yeltsin- extensive freedom
 Putin- decrease in media freedom
Post Communism

Political Parties
United Russia
Communist Party of
the Russian
Federation
Liberal Democratic
Party of Russia


Parties had to form overnight, Russians
still haven’t had time to form loyalties
to parties.
Parties are often centered around
personalities (candidates) vs ideology.
Previously, parties needed only 5%
of the total votes to receive seats in
the Duma, but this was amended
under Putin to 7%, reducing the
competition for United Russia &
lowering the number of parties
represented in the Duma to 4
Communist
Grennady Zyuganov
_ 19.%2 (92)
_Communist, Patriot
_Socialist economic
approach, social costs of the
reform process- supports
state subsidies for stability.
_Worker’s rights,
nationalize natural
resources, socialism:
progressive tax system,
return of Russian territory,
limit agricultural
collectivization
Supported by older
Russians, economically
disadvantaged, rural
Just Russia
Nicholi Levichev
_11.7% (64)
_Social Democracy,
Socialist
_Fariness, freedom,
Solidarity
_progressive tax, Welfare of
the individual and
constructive opposition
support Medvedev not
Putin’s budget
United Russia
Putin, Medvedve
_49.3% (238)
_broad support
_Conservative, Centrist
_Moderate reform, The
Russian approach, values
of order and law, and
celebrity
_Combination of gov’t
control $ and market
freedom, address
differences, Patriotism,
Strong Russia
_Supported by younger,
female, government
dependent
Other Political Parties
 Liberal Democratic Party:



Ultra-Nationalism and populist
Supported by working class men
and military
Supports revival of expanded
Russian state (Ukraine and
Belarus), anti-Western, law and
order
 Liberal/ Reform: Union of
Rightist Forces, Yabloko



Supported by young, highly
educated, urban dwellers, and
business
Supported Yeltsin’s initial reforms
of market reform and
privatization
Speak out against unfair elections,
trend toward authoritarianism
 Liberal Democrat (11.7) seats, 56


Deceiving name!----Russian
Nationalism, Neo Imperialism
Low income, education, male (and
sexist)
 Yabloko: (3.4%), seats 0

Social Liberalism
 Patriots of Russia (1%), seats, 0

Socialism, left-wing nationalism
 Right Cause, (.6%), seats, 0

Liberal Conservatism
Elections
 President: Direct Election, two consecutive 6 years
(2010)
 Prime Minister: appointed by the President with
approval of the Duma, if rejected 3 times Pres can
dissolve Duma.
 Federation Council: Indirect election, nominated by
local legislators
 Duma: After 2007 all Proportional Representation

Before mixed - part proportional & part SMD
 Multiparty system
Economy
Economic Liberalization
 Value Equality of Results (over
Equality of Opportunity)
 Less government regulation of the
economy & greater participation
of private entities




Reducing state control over
markets
Pricing
Employment
Distribution
 Yeltsin’s Shock Therapy
 Legalization of private property
 Invitations to foreign-direct
investment
 Reduction in state spending on
social services
 Consequences



Increased unemployment
Decentralized production
decisions
Increase in number of individually
owned enterprise
Russia in BRIC
 2009 BRIC meeting: Russia lags the furthest behind
because of declining oil prices
Mexico vs. Russia Activity
 Read the introduction and examine the data.
 Pairs can complete the questions for Mexico
and Russia separately and answer the
comparative questions together.
Check for Understanding
Is Mexico’s past Russia’s future?
 PRI traditionally held power through patronage,
electoral fraud, corporatism, co-option of dissent and
executive power
 Mexico system reinforced one-party rule by using
mixed proportional/single member district system in
electing the Chamber of Deputies.


Gave the impression of party competition while maintaining
control of the government.
Opposing parties won enough to be represented but not win
majority control
 How is this similar to Russia?
 How are Russian institutions used to consolidated
authority?
Closure
 Quiz
 Homework: China
Questions, DO YOUR
HOMEWORK!!
 Russia Questions will be
collected next block