1. Government and politics in the Russian Federation

2. Authoritarian Oligarchy or Budding Democracy???
world politics defined by the Cold War and intense competition between the US and the USSR
When the Soviet Union collapsed, reverberations felt everywhere
Its component republics broke apart, left Russian Federation as the largest piece, its population was cut in half, but its land space meant it was still the largest country in the world.

3. Boris Yeltsin First president of the Russian Federation
Former member of the old Soviet Politburo, declared the end of the old Soviet-style regime
SHOCK THERAPY reforms, pointed country towards democracy and free-market economy
But he was an uneven leader, often sick or drunk, and he often reverted to authoritarian rule when he was lucid
With weak president, OLIGARCHS took over, brought lots of political and economic corruption
Still, Constituion of 1993 put in place and they´ve had regular, competitive elections ever since

4. Vladimir Putin Elected in 2000 and 2004 without serious conflict
Oligarchs still have power, although Putin has at times acted agressively to contain their political and economic power
Unfortunately, this was usually done by centralizing power in the president...
Putin´s presidency may be a sign that Russia is again becoming an authoritarian state and that its fling with democracy is over... We´ll see!

5. Modern Russia is Unpredictable
Historic roots deeply influence every area of life
Almost no real experience with democracy or a free market
The big question: Is democracy taking hold in Russia, or is the new regime just a smoke and mirrors imitation of the authoritarianism that characterized Russia for centuries?
Historical precedent for both...
Slavic roots strong tendency toward autocratic rule (slavophiles)
Zapadniki and their desire to westernize / modernize and compete for world power present since late 17th century

6. What´s in a name?
BE VERY CAREFUL on the test and when dealing with Russia to use specific names that reflect the historical period you are discussing.
“RUSSIA” can be misleading and confusing
TSARIST/CZARIST RUSSIA
SOVIET UNION
RUSSIAN FEDERATION

7. SOVEREIGNTY, AUTHORITY & POWER
20th Century power from the Politburo of the Communist Party (small group of men who climbed the ranks of the party through “nomenklatura”
The political culture and historical traditions of Russia were firmly entrenched and when the Soviet Union dissolved, these shaped the genesis of the new regime and will determine the nature of its future

8. LEGITIMACY
21st Century legitimacy of the RUssian goverment is relatively low, because regime change is so recent and because it was such a drastic departure from past
Since Putin came into office, the system has stabilized, but it is unclear how far Putin will retreat from democratic practices to reestablish some of the old traditional authoritarianism

9. Historical political legitimacy
Based on strong, autocratic rule
Centuries of tsars
Firm dictatorship of Communist party leaders during 20th century
Under Communism, Marxism-Leninism with its ideology of democratic centralism was legitimacy base
Stalinism changed the regime to totalitarianism, a more incasive form of strong-man rule than any tsar had been able to achieve
Kruschev and Gorbachev were reformers, tried to loosen party´s stranglehold on power, in the end facilitating the downfall of the regime

10. Constitution of 1993
Provided for a strong president, although the power of the position is checked by popular election and by the lower house of the legislature—DUMA
Presidency (since the late 1980s)
Duma (since the tsars of the 19th century)
Constitutional legitimacy tested by attempted coups and conflict between Yeltsin and the Duma, but transition to Putin went smoothly
Now, though, there are questions as to whether the Duma is anything more than a rubber-stamping agency for Putin´s policies

11. Historical influences on political traditions
ABSOLUTE CENTRALIZED RULE
Russian tsars held absolute power they defended with brutaility and force
Tyranny partially based on geography: Russia was overrun and conquered by invaders (Huns, Vikings, Mongols, etc.) The chaos convinced Russian leaders of why firm, unchallenged leadership to keep subjects in control was so important.
Romanov tsars emerged from a “Time of Troubles” when Russian nobility (boyars) fought for power and almost ended the kingdom
Communist Party centralized power, vanguard, democratic centralism authoritarianism
Putin steering Russia back to centralized, authoritarian, personality-driven leadership

12. Historical influences on political traditions (cont)
EXTENSIVE CULTURAL HETEROGENEITY
Until 17th century, Russia relatively small inland culture, but even then the incasions made it a place of cultural diversity
When Russia expanded its borders by 19th century from the Baltic to the Pacific, more cultural heterogeneity
As borders have changed, ethnicities have been split, thrown together and split again...
Russian Federation: name reflects the diversity, with countless republics, and autonomous regions based on ethnicity (but with borders that can´t be drawn because of blend and location)
Always been a challenge to Russian rulers

13. Historical influences on political traditions (cont)
SLAVOPHILE vs. ZAPADNIKI (Westernizer)
Kennan identified this conflicting set of political traditions as a major source of problems for USSR
Slavophiles: pride in slavic/Russian customs, language, religion, and history...custodians of true christianity and civilization since fall of Byzantium and Rome. Isolationism...
Tsar Peter the Great (17th cent, early 18th) first great Westernizer, modernized Russia from its backwardness, stronger army, navy, infrastructure of roads and communication, reorganized bureaucracy with a “Window on the West” (St. Petersburg, built on the new conquered lands of the Baltic Sea)
Catherine the Great (late 18th cent) continued Peter´s modernization and by the time of her death, Russia was seen as a major empire
But the slavophiles did not go away, despite successes by zapadniki...(still a tension today)

14. Historical influences on political traditions (cont)
REVOLUTIONS of the 20th Century
Long autocratic rule of tsars ened suddenly and decisively in 1917, when Vladimir Lenin and his Bolsheviks seized power, executed the tsar and his family
Communist leaders replaced tsars, but absolute, centralized rule didn´t change
Old social classes swept away, new regime tried to blend elements of westernization (industrialization, economic development, technological innovation) with those of slavophiles (nationalism, resistance to Western culture and customs, capitalism, etc.)
2nd Revolution: fall of USSR, 15 republics became independent nations, Russian Federation still trying to replace old regime...

15. RUSSIA´S POLITICAL CULTURE
Shaped by geographic setting, cultural orientation and conflicting attitudes towards state
GEOGRAPHIC SETTING
Largest country in the world, 11 time zones, different ethnicities and climates
Borders touch many other nations with vastly different political cultures and customs
One of the coldest countries on earth, 50% north of Anchorage, Alaska, 80% north of latitude of US/Canadian border, and many cities are inland
Warm water ports are few, history characterized by desire to conquer countries that block Russian access to the sea
Many natural resources (oil, gas, timber) but much of it is locked in Siberia, frozen and very difficult to extract and then transport

16. RUSSIA´S POLITICAL CULTURE
EASTERN ORTHODOXY
Russians cast their lot with Constantinople, establishing trade routes and adopting Eastern Orthodox religion
Despite the fall of Byzantium and rise of Western Europe, their orientation meant Russia didn´t share values generated by the Renaissance, Reformation, Scientific Revolution and Enlightenment.
Instead of individualism, Russian valued a strong state that could protect them from their geographic vulnerabilities..STATISM
The West developed a taste for civil society, spheres of privacy free from control by the state
Eastern Orthodoxy was inextricably linked to the state, no principle of separation of church and state
When Communists forbid citizens to practice religion, acceptance of government control of religious practices remained.

17. RUSSIA´S POLITICAL CULTURE
EQUALITY OF RESULT (vs. Equality of Opportunity)
Communists valued equality, value already strong in a country of peasants with similar living standards accustomed to the mir
Russian egalitarianism survived fall of USSR, most Russians resent differences of wealth or income
Equality of result very different from Western “equality of opportunity” that sees getting ahead as a sign of initiative, hard work, and talent.
Russian political culture is not conducive to the development of capitalism

18. RUSSIA´S POLITICAL CULTURE
HOSTILITY TOWARDS THE GOVERNMENT
Despite the fact that they´ve always seemed to depend on government initiative, Russian citizens are generally hostile towards their leadership
Mikhail Gorbachevglasnost (new emphasis on feredom of speech and press), received torrnts fo complaints from citizens, contributed to breakup of USSR
Years of repression spark resentment, modern Russians often badmouth leaders, express pessimism regarding political and economic future

19. RUSSIA´S POLITICAL CULTURE
IMPORTANCE OF NATIONALITY
Despite the long history of cultural diversity, people tend to categorize others based on nationality, discriminate based on long-held stereotypes
Baltic people admired for their “civility” sophisticated
Muslim-Turkic people (Central Asia), general disdain, so govts in those areas pass laws to discourage Russians from staying in their borders
Anti-Semitism, strong in tsarist Russia (pogroms), today many nationalists blame Jews for Russia´s current problems...mix anti-semitism with anti-capitalism, etc.

20. POLITICAL AND ECONOMIC CHANGE
THE FAILURE OF GRADUALISM
Britain gradualism, ordered change
Russia Resistance to change by reform, descent into chaos and resort to revolution when contradictory forces meet
Slavic influence brings some continuity to Russian history, but most of it characterized by long periods of authoritarian rule punctuated by protest and violence

21. POLITICAL AND ECONOMIC CHANGE
FAILURE OF GRADUALISM (cont)
Most successful tsars (Peter and Catherine the Great) understoof dangers of chaos, resorted to force to keep their power
19th Cent tsars faced infiltration of Enlightenment ideas of democracy and individual rights, those that tried reforms and gradual inclusion of the influences often failed (Ex: Alexander II, freed the serfs, experimented with local assemblies, ultimately assassinated in 1881 by the same forces that later blossomed into full-blown revolution in 1917).
Tsars plans to gradually industrialize Russia failed, Stalin´s Five Year Plans that called for rapid, abrupt economic change led to USSR becoming one of two superpowers that dominated world for a half-century
Gorbachev´s attempts to reform political and economic systems gradually failed, change came abruptly with failed coup d’état and collapse of USSR

22. POLITICAL AND ECONOMIC CHANGE
THREE DISTINCT TIME PERIODS
Long period of autocratic rule by tsars (14th-early 20th century). Romanovs from 17th cent on, but transitions accompanied by brutality and assassination
TSARIST RUSSIA
20th Cent rule by Communist Party. Began with Bolshevik Revolution and assassination, regime toppled in 1991 when a failed coup created chaos.
SOVIET UNION / USSR
Abrupt regime change to democracy and free market. Yeltsin´s western-style reforms create the Russian Federation
RUSSIAN FEDERATION

23. Political and Economic Change TSARIST RULE
Princes of Moscow, cooperated with 13th cent Mongol rulers, rewarded with land and power, Mongols weakened, declared themselves “tsars” like caesars of Rome
Always autocratic, controlled their lands to protect from invasions
Headed the Russian Orthodox Church (governmental and religious leader)
Eastern Orthodox orientation, isolated from major civilizations to south and east

24. Political and Economic Change WESTERN INFLUENCE
Peter the Great introduces Western technology and culture to increase Russia´s power and influence.