Russia: Sovereignty Authority and Power

Delia Harris

Just to wake you up…

http://youtu.be/ZT2z0nrsQ8o

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