RUSSIA STUDENT

NOTES - 1
FACT OR FICTION?

•Russia is a democratic republic with

a federal structure dividing power
between the national and regional
governments.
FACT OR FICTION?

•The Russian Federation protects

personal liberties like freedom of
speech, assembly and press.
FACT OR FICTION?

•The judiciary acts independent

of the state upholding the
principles of rule of law.
Why doesn’t the Constitution match
reality?
• Constitution was written in 1993 (context)
• Historically, Russians have no experience with democracy
• Influence of very rich and powerful oligarchs
• Vladimir Putin (1999-present)
• Increasing centralization of power
• Russia’s fling with democracy fleeting
• Highly illiberal/hybrid
• Direct elections, 3 branch institutions
• Lacking civil liberties/rights, competitive parties, rule of law,
independent judiciary
2006: HYBRID
2017: AUTHORITARIAN
HOW COLLEGE BOARD DESCRIBES…

Russia is characterized as a competitive authoritarian

regime or illiberal democracy, holding contested
elections but with limited degrees of competitiveness
and providing minimal civil liberty protections and
governmental transparency
Recent History
• 1991 – fall of Soviet Union
• History of communism & Totalitarianism
• Largest piece – Russian Federation
• 1st President of Russian Federation: Boris Yeltsin
• Former Politburo member
• End of Soviet-style regime
• STRUGGLE to democratize and modernize
• Ineffective and corrupt
• 1993 Constitution – moved toward democracy
• BUT NOW…
• Current President (2012), (2000-2008), (PM 2008-2012): Vladimir
Putin
• “In Russia, only one person can be number one.”
PUTIN IN POWER
• 1999 PM; Yeltsin resigned automatically making Putin President
• 2000-2004; win reelection in 2004-2008
• Years of economic growth and prosperity
• Reigned in regions (Chechnya, tamed oligarchs)
• Made RUSSIA RESPECTABLE – projects strength and stability
• Constitution prohibits more than 2 CONSECUTIVE terms
• Became PM (2008-2012); Dmitri Medvedev President
• But Putin still in power
• United Russia (party of Putin gains more influence in 2011
Parliamentary elections)
• 2012-present: president (now 6-year terms)
• Election (2018) he DID win
• 25 years of uninterrupted power
CONSEQUENCES
• Steps toward democratization in 90’s completely undermined
• Shift toward AUTHORITARIANISM
• Reelection of 3rd and 4th terms
• Kremlin friendly parties co-opted
• Aggression abroad - Invasion of Georgia (2008); Annexation of Crimea (2014)
• Crackdown on registered NGO’s
• Electoral fraud (difficult registration, election funding, harassment of
opposition)
• Increased protest, but also disenchantment
• State controlled media (highly skewed)
• Harassment/violence of political opponents
• Civil society “managed”
• Increased morality politics
• Ban public use of profanity, gay propaganda, blasphemy, libel
• Traditional family values – Russian culture to oppose Western liberalism
RUSSIAN LEGITIMACY
• Putin IS authoritarian – not based on legitimacy but on
coercive force
• They call it SOVEREIGN DEMOCRACY or a MANAGED
DEMOCRACY
NOTABLE OPPOSITION
UKRAINE
UKRAINE
Basics About Russia
• Geo - Largest country in world
• 11 time zones
• Federation (83)
• Regional inequality
• Mixed-Presidential/Parliamentary
• Natural resources: gold, diamonds, timber, gas, OIL
• Resource curse but also powerful tool to manipulate
European politics
HISTORY OF POWER
• Traditionally – strong, autocratic rule
• Tsars, dictators
• Marxism-Leninism
• Democratic centralism
• Lead in the name of the people
• Stalinism (totalitarianism)
• Collectivization, industrialization, central planning, force
• Constitution of 1993 – strong president w/ checked power
1917 Revolution & USSR
• Deposed the tsar (authoritarian)
• Historically ruled by force
• Oh no! Huns! Give me all the power to defeat them!
• Instituted Soviet Union headed by the Communist Party of the Soviet Union
(still authoritarian)
• Decision-making apparatus was the top officials known as the Politburo –
heart and soul of CPSU (even more authoritarian); headed by general
secretary
• Promoted through nomenklatura
• Called democratic centralism (you’ll see this principle again in China. They
just love it there!)
• Lead the revolution b/c the people can’t so “vanguard” group has ALL THE
POWER
MARXISM
Karl Marx: the father of communism

1848: The Communist Manifesto

Capitalism – the free market – is an economic system that

exploits workers, increases gap between rich and poor.

Marx foresaw revolution of proletariat (workers) against

bourgeoisie (owners of means of production).

Post-revolution, social class would disappear.

COMMUNIST POLITICAL ECONOMY

• The Communist Party completely controlled political life.

• domination of government, media, economy, education,

social life

• democratic centralism
• total control by tiny group of party officials at top of hierarchy
• Some institutions exist (for example Duma around since 19th century),
but a total PARTY STATE – party runs the government
COMMUNIST POLITICAL
ECONOMY
• government owns almost all industry enterprises and retail
sales outlets
• Collectivization – farms state run
• economy managed by party-dominated state planning
committee
• decided what would be produced, exported and sold
internally on a five-year plan
Stalinism

authoritarianism  totalitarianism under Joseph Stalin: dictatorial

control over world communist movement from 1920s – 1950s

used party, media, and campaigns of terror to subjugate the

population
Gorbachev and Reforms

• (1) glasnost : more openness in the political system

• (2) democratization : introduction of competition in
running the party
• (3) perestroika: economic restructuring (including a
degree of private ownership)
• (4) foreign policy: improved relations with the West
• Insert a little democracy
• New Congress directly elected by people and President
selected by Congress – criticized CPSU and MG
SOVIET REFORM (1980’s)
• Gorbachev (1982-1991)
• The guy that tore down the wall!
• Reform program focused on economic growth and political
renewal without undermining Communist party BUT
inadvertently led to polarization of country and fall of SU…my
bad.
• Glasnost (openness)
• Demokratizatsiia (limited democratization)
• Perestroika (economic restructuring)
• ***none FULLY carried out
GLASNOST

• Open discussion of political, social, and

economic issues
• Allowed for open criticism of
government and government policies
• Gorbachev stressed that the ultimate
test of the party lay in improving the
economic well-being of the country
and it’s people
Demokratizatsiia = political liberalization
• Gorbachev wanted to insert some democratic
characteristics into the old Soviet structure
• However, he did want to maintain Communist Party
control
• Reforms included:
• Elections held; civil society grew (unlicensed associations)
• Communist bloc collapsed! – bloodless revolutions that SU
supported!
• CPSU losing authority/legitimacy to newly elected
bodies/philosophy behind recent revolutions = unintended
consequences of Gorbachev’s reform was the collapse of the
Soviet Union
Perestroika – “Restructuring” = Economic
liberalization
• Loosened controls of the Communist Party, allowing group formation in other
sectors of society
• Economic Restructuring
• Transfer economic power from central government to private hands and
market economy
• Legalized private enterprise
• Introduced elements of market competition
• Penalties for under-performing state factories
• Price reforms
• Encouragement of joint ventures with foreign companies
• Leasing of farm land outside the collective farms
COLLAPSE OF THE SOVIET UNION
• Aug 1991, “conservatives” (opposed to reform) led a coup d’etat to
remove Gorbachev
• Failed! Stopped by protesters led by a more radical reformer, Boris
Yeltsin (the elected president)
• Gorbachev restored to power but by Dec 1991, 11 republics declared
their independence
• End of USSR!!
• Yeltsin emerged as president of largest and most powerful republic,
Russian Federation
The Creation of the Russian Federation aka
“Lets be democracy now???”
• Dec. 1991 – Gorbachev announced dissolution of Soviet Union
after a failed coup and Baltic republicanism
• Regime change to democracy and free markets
• President Boris Yeltsin (elected popularly) put western-style
reforms in place to help create the Russian Federation
 RUSSIA UNDER YELTSIN
• Yeltsin’s Goal
• Create a western-style democracy
• Constitution of 1993
• Approved through NATIONAL REFERENDUM
• Shock Therapy – rapid, radical, market reform
• Loosened or lifted price and wage controls
• Privatization Vouchers
• Insider Privatization
• Rise of Oligarchs & corruption