1. Russia Today
Section 3

2. Finding a New Identity
Gorbachev’s policies = social & political change
Fall of communism left Russia without cultural identity
After communism Russia has faced:
Depression
Alcoholism
Violence
Crime
Increase in corruption from Soviet Era

3. Restoring Confidence: Vladimir Putin
Strong leadership
Increase government control
Putin strengthened the military
Crushed rebellions in Chechnya
Improvements made to daily life
Reduced poverty
New middle class
Doubled disposable income
Growth in energy industry
Russia lead producer of oil and gas

4. Communism v. Democratic Capitalism
People & elected representatives make decisions
Market economy – private consumers & producers make most economic decisions & own most property
Communist party makes all decisions
Command economy – govt. makes most economic decisions and owns most property
Political leadership values obedience, discipline, and economic security

5. Social and Economic Woes
Russia’s birth rates and life expectancy are low
Males – lowest in industrialized world
Alcoholism high
Infectious disease rates high
HIV/AIDS
Tuberculosis
Lung disease
Social/economic issues cause an increase in migration
Skilled workers seek better lives in North America, Israel, and Western Europe

6. Putin Draws Criticism Putin has mixed results Popular among Russians
Russian Constitution allows freedom of speech and press
Government exercises control over media – owns many radio and television statements
Russia still censors (keeps things from being reported)
Putin criticized for putting energy industry under government control
Putin argues Russian govt. needs energy industry to be a superpower (powerful nation)

9. Human Rights and the Law
Ethnic and religious tensions – Muslims and others from the Caucasus region
Suspicious deaths of journalists who have criticized the government
Corruption in business and politics is common

10. A World Partner Russia is one of the World’s leading powers
Largest stockpile of nuclear weapons
Top energy producer
Member of the G-8 (group of 8 industrialized nations)
Share anti-terror initiatives
Climate change
Energy
Economic development
Russia has taken part in talks with North Korea to give up nuclear weapons
Opposed efforts of Ukraine and Georgia to join NATO
Supported independence movements in areas of Georgia
Bombed and invaded
Damaged relations with the U.S. and other Western nations.

11. A Super Power Again
Russia is second largest oil-exporting nation in the world
World’s largest exporter of natural gas
Russia has signed exclusive agreements to supply gas to Germany and others to gain support of policies
Some criticize Russia’s use of energy to increase power

12. Cooperation and Conflict
Russia and the EU
Russia controls much of the energy supply for the EU
Russia has cooperated with the EU on energy and climate change
Russia is a trading partner with Iran and has loaned money to them to build nuclear reactors
U.S. opposes the nuclear reactors
Relations between Russia and U.S. are calm but cool
Russia and China w/other Central Asian countries formed the Shanghai Cooperation Organization in 2001
A loose alliance
Joint military practices worry Western nations

13. The Future of Russia
Strong leadership has reshaped politics and economy of Russia
Russia is an important global power
Natural resources
Superpower