1. Russia-Eurasian Republic

2. Introduction
Russia and Eurasia have a rich history that includes, in recent history, major changes in their political and economic systems. Historically, Russia, when compared to Western Europe, always lagged behind in many ways. At one point, Peter the Great visited Western Europe (incognito) to observe and document the style of living in the west so that he could “upgrade” Russia. Fast-forwarding to the 20th, while most other countries had transitioned to industrialized democratic-republics, Russia remained a monarchy. Czar Nicolas II (Romanov Dynasty) would be the last to rule as an absolute monarch. Unemployment and poverty led to a class war. Things worsened when the Czar committed his troops to fighting German invasions during World War I. By 1917, Lenin and the Bolsheviks helped to dethrone the Czar, execute his entire family and replace the monarchy with a communist system based on Marxist ideals. Communist (as in communal) would level the “playing field” for everyone in Russia. Communism spread during the 20th century forming a strong alliance system that was countered by nations that were/are democratic-republics. It was not until the late 20th century that communism in Russia and Eurasia ceased to exist

3. Transitions of the Russian Government during the 1900s

4. Capitalism/Free Enterprise (1991 to Present)
Russia U.S.S.R Russia
King: Czar Nicholas II ( Monarchy)
Pre-1917
Communism
( )
Capitalism/Free Enterprise (1991 to Present)
Democratic Republic
He had five children (one of them was Anastasia)
People began to protest against the king.
Soon, there was a revolution (Russian Revolution) 1917
The king and his family were executed
Unlimited government
The revolution was led by Lenin
Lenin takes over
Russia’s name was now U.S.S.R. (Union of Soviet Socialist Republic)
Unlimited Government
After 1989, big changes came to Russia.
Leader (Gorbachev) opened the “door” to a free society with less government control and a free market society.
Limited Government

5. Quiz 1 1.Place in correct order the systems of Governments Russia experienced and state if they are unlimited or limited. 2. What did Vladimir Lenin contribute to Russia?

6. Map (Russia/Soviet Union) Communism
After World War II ended in late 1945, the Soviet Union (Russia) changed sides and was no longer allies (friends) with the free and democratic countries in Western Europe. This map shows the Soviet Union and its allies among the communist nations. The Soviet Union formed an alliance and named it the Warsaw Pact. The ongoing hostilities and competition between the nations with democratic/free enterprise systems and the communist nations came to be known as the Cold War.

7. Russia and the Eurasian Republics
Historically, Russia was ruled by a monarch, but with a civil war in the early part of the 20th century, a communist government controlled the country for most of the 20th century.
After World War II the Russians gained control of the surrounding countries and either incorporated them into their empire (Central Asian republics) and formed the Soviet Union or dominated them politically (Warsaw Pact countries).
After the Cold War, these small regions that had been under communist rule gradually gained their independence from the USSR, brought about political change and are thus known as the Eurasian Republics (Latvia, Lithuania, etc.). Most of the Eurasian Republics are located to the west and southwest of the Russia.

8. Quiz 2
Please states if each of the Forms of Government listed below are either LIMITED OR UNLIMITED
Totalitarian
Constitutional Monarchy
Absolute Monarchy
Communism
Democratic Republic

9. Post-Soviet states in alphabetical order:
Transition Part 2
The Union of Soviet Socialist Republics(USSR) was formally dissolved on 26 December 1991 by declaration № 142-H of the Soviet of the Republics of the Supreme Soviet of the Soviet Union. This declaration acknowledged the independence of all fifteen republics of the Soviet Union following the creation of the Commonwealth of Independent States.
Post-Soviet states in alphabetical order:
1. Armenia, 2. Azerbaijan, 3. Belarus, 4.Estonia,5. Georgia, 6. Kazakhstan, 7.Kyrgyzstan, 8. Latvia, 9. Lithuania, 10. Moldova, 11. Russia, 12. Tajikistan,
13. Turkmenistan, 14. Ukraine, 15.Uzbekistan

10. Early Predictions of the USSR Collapse
Economy
So what brought about the Change? The short answer is Economics mainly talking about the scarcity of goods and services
In order to revive the stagnant Soviet economy, in 1985 new Soviet leader Mikhail Gorbachev began a process of increasing political liberalization (glasnost/perestroika) in the totalitarian, communist one-party state. However, this liberalization led to the emergence from 1986 onwards of nationalist movements and ethnic disputes within the diverse republics of the Soviet Union.
Early Predictions of the USSR Collapse
Ludwig von Mises
The Austrian economist Ludwig von Mises predicted the unsustainability and eventual collapse of the Soviet system in his 1921 book Socialism: An Economic and Sociological Analysis
Leon Trotsky
One of the founders of the USSR, later expelled by Joseph Stalin, Leon Trotsky devoted much of his time in exile to the question of the Soviet Union's future. In time, he came to believe that a new revolution was necessary to depose the nomenklatura and reinstate working class rule as the first step to socialism.

11. ECONOMY Was the Change Good?
There are now independent businesses where before (during the time of the USSR) there were long lines for products of poor quality. Today there are criminal organizations, where there was once government controlled spying and repression (KGB). When Governments change to democracy, cultural borrowing by people can bring about the good and the bad.
There has been more money and new business projects coming from outside sources since the Eurasian Republics broke away from the USSR. This has helped the independent republics economies, because they are not relying on government support, but can receive from outside investors.
In the Past (During the USSR) the People worked for the State, while in the present free economy the People work for themselves and make their own decisions.

12. Similarities between the United States
Government
Similarities between the United States
and
Russian Federation
Both have a Constitution
Both are Free market Economies
Both are led by a President
-President Obama and Russian President Putin
Both have Three Branches of Government
Legislative, Executive, Judiciary

13. Geography
The Soviet Union (USSR) WAS NOT ONLY RUSSIA, Russia was 1 of 15 countries that made up the Soviet Union (USSR)

14. Geography
The 15 countries that made up the Soviet Union (USSR) are now independent countries.

15. Geography
Climate and geography help to explain the distribution of the cities in Russia which are primarily located in the west. The harsh climate best explains this pattern of settlement across the nation as seen below.

16. Much of Russia’s coal resources are in the center of the country
Geography
Much of Russia’s major industry is located in the eastern portion of the country, because that is where most of the usable natural resources are located.
Much of Russia’s coal resources are in the center of the country

17. Geography
Much of farm and ranch land is located in areas different from the areas where oil and coal are located.
Like a population density map, the darker the area, greater the density of agriculture is.
Intensively of Russian agriculture as of 2006.

18. Geography
Permafrost - A thick subsurface layer of soil that remains frozen throughout the year, occurring chiefly in polar regions.
The grey represents an Arctic Desert which is the location where you would find Permafrost.

19. Geography
Because of Permafrost being located mainly in Siberia, settlers have had to adapt to this environmental factor.
In areas such as: housing and farming.
Permafrost

20. Economy
The main difference between a market (Free Market) economy and a communist system (command economy) is the amount of Government control of the Economy.
MORE
LESS

21. Economy
The free market economy of Russia has less government control and influence over the economy this has allowed more opportunity in some areas of business, but not having government controls has reduced the programs that were designed to help people.

22. Economy
The easiest indicator to determine the developmental level or standard of living for a country is
_________________ ?
Per Capita GDP
The Gross Domestic Product Per Capita can be used to compare countries and determine standard of living(Life expectancy, Infant Mortality, Literacy, etc…).

23. Cultural
Culture:
The arts and other manifestations of human intellectual achievement regarded collectively.
Shared beliefs and values

24. Cultural Diffusion
The Soviet Government encouraged migrations by Russians across the USSR this action helped to create a very large cultural region as well as help spread the Russian language.
In 1990 the Russian language was declared as the official language of USSR and the constituent republics had rights to declare additional state languages within their jurisdictions this was the Russian Government’s attempt to strengthen Russian culture, within Russia as well as the Soviet Union.

25. Cultural Diffusion
The Kazakh (Kazakhstan) language is a member of the Turkic language family, as are Uzbek (Uzbekistan), Kyrgyz (Kyrgyzstan), Azeri (Azerbaijan), Turkmen (Turkmenistan). But Russian is also widely spoken in all these countries as well, due to the shared history of this countries, In Kazakhstan and Kyrgyzstan, Russian remains a co-official language with Kazakh and Kyrgyz. Even though Russian is a Slavic language.

26. Cultural Diffusion
Arabic Script
Cyrillic Script