Russia Part 1: The Making of the Modern State

Why do we study Russia?  History of Communism (Soviet Union) & Totalitarianism  Transition to Democracy  Example of Illiberal Democracy  Current trend to authoritarianism - Putin

Geography  Officially, the Russian Federation  Largest successor state of the Soviet Union  Largest country in the world (area)  17,098,242 sq mi  Spans 11 time zones  Largest European country in population  140 million  73% live in urban areas  Critical location  Between Europe, Islamic World and Asia

The Bolshevik Revolution  1 st country to base political system on Marxism  1917 Bolshevik Revolution  Led by V.I. Lenin  Overthrew tsarist govt  Marxism-Leninism  Vanguardism  Democratic centralism

The Bolshevik Revolution  Marx believed it was inevitable that in a capitalistic society, workers would eventually revolt and overthrow the bourgeoise (a socialist revolution) in order to create a classless, stateless, society  Discussion Question: How did Lenin’s revolution differ from what Marx envisioned?

The Bolshevik Revolution  Marx believed it was inevitable that in a capitalistic society, workers would eventually revolt and overthrow the bourgeoise (a socialist revolution) in order to create a classless, stateless, society  Discussion Question: How did Lenin’s revolution differ from what Marx envisioned?  At the time of the Bolshevik Revolution, Russia was a backward, poorly developed and largely feudal country with a very small industrial working class  Lenin saw the need for a strong leader/group to begin the revolution…and then continue as a strong state

The Bolshevik Revolution  Lenin directed industrialization and agricultural development from a centralized govt  1922 Bolsheviks formed the Union of the Soviet Socialist Republics (USSR)  Authoritarian strains eclipsed democratic elements  No competing ideologies

Stalinism ( )  Placed Communist Party at center of control  Allowed no other political parties to compete  Leaders identified through nomenklatura  Process of party members selecting promising recruits from lower levels  Central Committee, Politburo, General Secretary  Collectivization & Industrialization  Took land from peasants and created state run collective farms  Private land ownership abolished  Five Year Plan  Set goals for production of heavy industry (oil, steel, electricity)

Stalinism ( )  Totalitarianism and Purges  Media censorship/state control of arts  Party authoritative source of truth  Estimated 5% of population (millions of citizens) were executed for “treason”  Attempts at De-Stalinization  Nikita Khrushchev led process of reforms  Rejected terror as political control  Loosened censorship  Restructured collective farms  Reforms didn’t work - ended with Brezhnev

Gorbachev ( )  Mikhail Gorbachev – reformer who wanted to adapt communist system to new conditions, not usher in its demise  3 Main Goals: 1. Glasnost – political “Openness”  Allowed more open discussion of issues  Opened door for revolt by some republics 2. Democratization  Creation of Congress of People’s Deputies  President selected by Congress 3. Perestroika – Economic Reform  Transfer of economic powers from govt to private hands and market economy

The Russian Federation: Present  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 of the Russian Republic of the USSR)  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 Russian Federation: Present  Yeltsin’s Goal  Create a western-style democracy  Constitution of 1993  Shock Therapy – rapid, radical, market reform  Loosened or lifted price and wage controls  Privatization Vouchers  Insider Privatization  Rise of Oligarchs & corruption

The Russian Federation: 1991-Present  Yeltsin’s frequent illnesses, alcoholism, and erratic behavior eventually led to his resignation in the months before the 2000 election  Prime Minister Vladimir Putin became acting president  2000 Election: Putin won presidency…  Served 2 terms (4 years each) – honored constitutional limit and stepped down, BUT  2008 Election: Dimitri Medvedev became President (One term only) while Putin became PM  Most people believe Putin still controlled policymaking power  2012 Election: Putin won and started 6 year term (number of years changed)… more to come

Russia Part 2: Institutions

Political Structure  1993 Democratic Constitution…but a history of Authoritarianism  Currently considered in transition from a hybrid regime to authoritarian:  “Soft authoritarianism”  Semi-authoritarian  Federal system…but Asymmetric Federalism  85 regions (subnational units) (Republic of Crimea & federal city of Sevastopol are disputed)  21 are ethnically non-Russian by majority (republics)  Some subnational units in the federal system have greater or lesser powers than others

Political Structure  Discussion Question: Why does Russia have asymmetric federalism? What purpose does it serve?

Political Structure  Discussion Question: Why does Russia have asymmetric federalism? What purpose does it serve?  To deal with ethnic/regional cleavages; an attempt to keep them from seeking independence  Republics have the right to establish their own official language and have their own constitution  Krais (territories) and Oblasts (provinces), aren't explicitly given this right  Central govt was weak under Yelstin, so many ruled themselves almost independently

Political Structure  Putin’s Crack-Down on Regional Autonomy  Military crushed Chechen resistance  Power Vertical & Creation of Super-Districts  7 new federal districts  Headed by presidential appointee  Appointment of Governors  Ended direct election of regional governors  Nominated by pres, confirmed by regional legislatures  Removal of Governors  Changes in Federation Council

Semi-Presidential  Hybrid that borrows from pres/parliamentary systems  Strong President (focus of power)  Head of State – President  Vladimir Putin  Directly elected – majority/2 round model  Six year term*  Limit of two consecutive terms  Next election is March 2018

Semi-Presidential  Powers of the President  Appoint PM, Cabinet & Governors  Issue decrees that have force of law  Dissolve the Duma  Call state of emergency/impose martial law  Call referendums  Suspend actions of other state organs  President can be impeached BUT…  Head of Gov’t – The Prime Minister  Dmitri Medvedev  Can be removed with 2 repeat votes of no confidence within 3 mths

Semi-Presidential  Discussion Question: What features of the Russian system make it presidential? What features make it parliamentary?

Semi-Presidential  Discussion Question: What features of the Russian system make it presidential? What features make it parliamentary?  Presidential:  There’s a president (duh!) that’s directly elected (fixed election cycle)  President may veto Duma legislation  President may be impeached  Parliamentary:  PM is head of gov’t  Votes of No Confidence

A Bicameral Legislature  Weak check on executive power  Duma – Lower House  450 Deputies (only about 13% women)  Selected by Proportional Representation (party list)* (changed in 2007 from mixed; NOTE: Will change back to Mixed in 2016 elections!)  5 year terms**  Powers  Passes bills  Approves budget  Confirms president’s appointments  Powers are limited  Pres may rule by decree  Duma’s attempts to reject prime ministers have failed  Has power to impeach President, but very cumbersome process

A Bicameral Legislature  Federation Council – Upper House  Represents regions  2 members from each of 85 federal subunits  1 chosen by governor of each region, other by regional legislature* (but remember…who appoints governors??)  Powers of Federation Council  Mostly delay bills (Duma overrides with 2/3 vote)  Approve presidential appointees and presidential decrees relating to martial law and states emergencies  May change boundaries among republics, ratify use of armed forces outside country, and appoint & remove judges

The Judiciary & Rule of Law  Constitutional Court  19 members, appointed by President, approved by Federation Council  Judicial review BUT…Court tries not to confront Presidency  Resolves conflicts regarding constitutionality of federal/regional laws & jurisdictional disputes between institutions  Pres, 1/5 of either house, citizens may request court to look at case  Supreme Court  Final court of appeals in criminal/civil cases  Does NOT have power of judicial review

The Judiciary & Rule of Law  Rule of Law  Putin initiated law reform – jury trials  Procedural codes for criminal and civil rights  BUT…  Movement toward rule of law continues to be blocked by corruption  Security police continue to operate autonomously  Trials of oligarchs indicate courts still under political control of Putin  Corruption Survey Results  At least ½ of population involved in corruption daily  Bribes for auto permits, school enrollment, proper health care and favorable court rulings

The Military  Source of Soviet strength during Cold War  Under Russian Federation historically weak and not a force  Showed some signs of strengthening (Georgia)  Importance has been elevated with invasion of Ukraine

The Federal Security System  Successor to the KGB  Increased role under Putin  Why?  Putin has career background in KGB & drew many of his staff from this arena  Increase in terrorism  Failure of military to deal effectively with Chechnya

Linkage Institutions – Overview  Linkage Institutions – still not strong in Russia  Political Parties  Historically unstable…why?  No strong opposing political parties to dominating party  State Corporatism  State determines which groups have input into policymaking  Weak civil society means interest groups have no solid footing  Media  Some privately owned, but state controlled  Ranks 140 th out of 178 in terms of press freedom

Linkage Institutions – Political Parties  Dominant Party System  A party system in which one large party directs the political system, but small parties exist and may compete in elections  United Russia  Founded in April 2001 as merger of Fatherland All-Russia Party & Unity Party of Russia  Hard to define ideology – Pro Putin Political PartySeats (2011 Duma Elections) United Russia238 Communist party of the RF92 Liberal Democratic Party56 A Just Russia64

Linkage Institutions  Discussion Question: How does United Russia dominate?

Linkage Institutions  Discussion Question: How does United Russia dominate?  Putin!  Political machine that generates persuasive incentives for regional elites  Heads of Russian regions use their influence to bolster party’s votes (Pres appoints governors, remember?)  Election and political party requirements limit opposition  Parties have to include regional representatives on list  Parties must have affiliates in more than half of regions, with a certain # of registered members in these regions  Choice of deputies on list must reflect strength of vote in region  Legally registered party  7% threshold for Duma representation

Linkage Institutions – Political Parties  The Communist Party of the Russian Federation (CPRF)  Formed from Communist party of Soviet Union  Strongest opposition party to United Russia  Less reformist than other parties  Emphasizes centralized planning and nationalism  Implies intention to regain territories lost when USSR broke apart  Supported by older Russians, economically disadvantaged and rural residents

Linkage Institutions – Political Parties  A Just Russia  Formed in 2006 – merger (Motherland People’s Patriotic Union/Party of Pensioners/Party of Life)  Led by Speaker of Federation Council Sergei Mironov  Left of United Russia  Opposition in name only  Supported Presidents Putin and Medvedev  “We are the party of the working man”

Linkage Institutions – Political Parties  Liberal Democratic Party  Misnomer!  Vladimir Zhirinovsky – extreme nationalist  Anti-Western  Nuclear threats against Japan, anti-Semitic, sexist  Strongest support from working-class men and military

Linkage Institutions? Oligarchs, Media & Mafia  Oligarchs  Wealthy elite that monopolized industries after privatization  At one point controlled over ½ of Russian GNP  Oil industry, media  Backed Yeltsin, but Putin now resisting their control  Ex: Mikhail Khodorkovsky (Yukos Oil)  Mafia  Controls underworld crime/black market and some reputable businesses  Gained power after Revolution of 1991

Russia Part 3: Citizens, Society, and the State

Social Cleavages - Religion  Most ethnic Russians identify themselves as Russian Orthodox, but are largely nonreligious  Other religions are represented in small percentages  Muslims, Roman Catholic, Protestant, Jewish  Recent rapid rise in Muslim share of population  Moscow (laborers)  The Caucasus (area between Black & Caspian Seas)  Includes Chechens  Very unstable region  Bashkortostan and Tatarstan

Social Cleavages – Other  Social Class  In USSR – Communist party members (elite) vs. non-members  Modern times – small class of really rich (started with Oligarchs) vs working class (middle class small by Western standards)  Rural/Urban  73% now live in cities, mostly in west  More likely to be well educated and more in touch with western values

Political Culture  Deference to authority  Tradition of personalistic authority  Highly centralized leadership  Mistrust of Government  Most of population historically alienated from political system  Subjects rather than participants  Statism and Collectivist tendencies  Expect the state to take an active role in their lives  Collectivism/egalitarianism – distrust those who get ahead  Desire for order/stability  Even at expense of personal freedom

Political Culture  Discussion Question: In Russia, when a contestant on the show “Who Wants to be a Millionaire” asks the audience for help, the audience usually gives the incorrect answer. Based on your understanding of Russian political culture/cultural values, WHY do you think they give the wrong answer?

Political Culture  Discussion Question: In Russia, when a contestant on the show “Who Wants to be a Millionaire” asks the audience for help, the audience usually gives the incorrect answer. Based on your understanding of Russian political culture/cultural values, WHY do you think they give the wrong answer?  Because of Collectivist value, they distrust anyone who gets ahead, especially those who try to “get rich on the backs of the audience members”

Political Culture  Slavophile vs. Westerner  Slavophile:  Nationalism  Defense of Russian interests/Slavic culture  Strong military  Reject western values  Against integration  Westerner:  Reformers  Want integration  Open to western values Putin’s supporters tend to be ________________.

Political Participation  Voting:  Voting 100% under USSR (compulsory)  Presidential Elections: 2008 around 70%, %*  Civil Society  Slowly started to emerge since 1991  Under Putin many obstacles:  Registration, reporting requirements, gov’t supervision

Political Participation - Protests  2007 restricting of use of public demonstrations and protests  2012: arrest of punk rock group (Pussy Riot) members for protesting in front of Russian Orthodox Church  The Other Russia  Opposition Movement

Political Participation  Russian Youth Groups  Created by Putin  Nashi (largest), Youth Guard and Locals  Part of an effort to build a following of loyal, patriotic, young people (diffuse youthful resistance)  Organize mass marches and demonstrations

Political Participation  Propaganda