Russia: Sovereignty Authority and Power
Delia Harris
Regime Type Over Time
Czar Communist one party authoritarian Democratic Capitalist free-market (1991-2000) One party dominant illiberal and managed
Democracy (2000 to present)
Current Political System
Illiberal democracy: A governing system in which although fairly free elections take place, citizens are cut off from real power due to the lack of civil liberties.
Managed democracy: Though elections are held, they lack the ability to substantially change the state’s policies and goals.
LegitimacyRussian political Legitimacy is based
in three major things.Patrimonialism: The Ruler treated
his realm as his property rather than a society.
Absolutism: The ruler had absolute power over his realm.
Statism: The State has control over social and economic affairs.
Russia: Origins
The Russian Orthodox Church was adopted for Kiev by it’s ruler, Vladamir I.
Ivan the Terrible (1530- 1589) unified Russia under muscovite rule. The Russian Orthodox Church moved to Moscow.
Czars and EmperorsPeter I (The Great) tried to westernize
Russia. He took the land around St Petersburg, and began building his new capital there.
Alexander II (The Liberator)- In 1861, Alexander Formally abolished serfdom in Russia.
Nicholas II- The unpopularity of his reign (influenced greatly by the Mystic Rasputin) led to the Russian Revolution.
Communism and Lenin
The Revolution of Russia began in 1917. The Czar, Nicholas II was forced to abdicate in February, and a Provisional Government was formed.
Then, in the October Revolution the Bolsheviks, led by Lenin, took over.
Timeline: Communist leaders 11917- 1922: Lenin
1924-1953: Stalin 1953-1955: Malenkov 1955-1964: Khrushchev 1964-1982: Brezhnev 1982-1984: Andropov 1984-1985: Chernenko 1985-1991: Gorbachev
Timeline: Presidents
1991-1999: Yeltsin 1999-2008: Putin 2008-2012: Medvedev 2012: Putin
Stalin and GorbachevStalin took over the government in
1924. He ruled until he died in 1953. in the 1930’s, he began the Great Terror. Purged “enemies of the party” via killing them or sending them to labor camps.
Gorbachev led from 1985-1991. He began a democratization of Russia through Perestroika and Glasnost reforms. http://youtu.be/4lPjMh1zpEo
Revolutionary Change
Russia’s changes are revolutionary, for the most part.
-There is no real democratic process for expressing ire at the government.
-Often oppressive government
Political Culture
Nationalism Strong state (Statism) Equality of Result (1917-1991) Heterogeneous Population