2.  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

3. 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

4.  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

5.  1917-1923: Russian Civil War › Red vs White  1936-1938: Stalin Purges  1941-1943: Great Patriotic War (WWII)  1949-1991: Cold War  1957-1966: Journey Into Space  1980’s: Gorbachev Aims Toward Ending the Cold War

7.  Boris Yeltsin (1991-1999)  Vladimir Putin (1999-2008)  Dmitry Medvedev (2008-2012)  Vladimir Putin (2012-2018)

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

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

10.  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