 Russia’s political system termed as a “illiberal” democracy › Citizens have little civil liberites › “Closed” Society  Head of State: President Vladimir Putin  Head of Government: Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev

Kievan Russia  862: Rurik is first to take control of Eastern Slavs  976: Vladimir the Great Takes power  986: Christianization of Russia  1036: Yaroslav the Wise brings about the Golden Age of Russia › Ruskaya Pravda

 1547: Ivan IV (Ivan the Terrible) assumes the role of the first Tsar of Russia › Sudebnik of 1550  1721: Peter the Great establishes the Russian Empire  Jan. 22, 1905: Bloody Sunday › State Duma (Legislative Body)  1917: Russian Revolution

 : Russian Civil War › Red vs White  : Stalin Purges  : Great Patriotic War (WWII)  : Cold War  : Journey Into Space  1980’s: Gorbachev Aims Toward Ending the Cold War

 Boris Yeltsin ( )  Vladimir Putin ( )  Dmitry Medvedev ( )  Vladimir Putin ( )

 Traditionally Based off Autocratic Rule  Low Social Capital › Distrust › Fear  Stalin Purges  Leon Trotsky  Document Establishing Government: Constitution of 1993

 Based on Basic Principles of Democratic State Building › Ideological Neutrality of State › Competitive Elections › Separation of Powers  Gives President Judicial Powers

 Authoritarian Tradition › Past Autocratic Rule › Statism – State should control Economic and/or Social Policy  Acceptance of Powerful Leaders  Political Socialization › Soviet Period vs. Today  New Soviet Man  Internet Censorship Today