AP COPO Russia Vocabulary

A Just Russia

A small party in the Russian Duma with a social democratic orientation

Asymmetric Federalism

When power is divided unevenly between regional bodies - for example some regions are given greater power over taxation or language rights than others - a more likely outcome in a country with significant ethnic divisions

Caucasus

Southwest Russia, near the Black Sea and Turkey, where there is a diverse mixture of non-Slavic peoples with distinct languages and customs as well as a much stronger historical presence of Islam than Orthodox Christianity

Chechnya

Russian Republic that has been a source of military conflict since 1991

Cheka

Soviet secret police created by Lenin; precursors to the KBG

Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS)

A loose integration body that incorporates many former Soviet republics

Communist Party of the Russia Federation (CPRF)

Successor party in Russia to the Communist Party of the Soviet Union

Constitutional Court

The highest judicial; body in a political system that decides whether laws and policies violate the constitution, responsible for constitutional review.

Duma

Lower house of the Russian legislature

Eurasian Economic Union (EAEU)

Economic and political union among several former Soviet states

Federal Security Service (FSB)

Successor to the KBG, the Russian intelligence agency

Federation Council

Upper house of the Russian Legislature

Glasnost

Literally, openness; the policy of political liberalization implemented in the Soviet Union in the late 1980s

Insider privatization

A process in Russia whereby the former nomenklatura directors of firms were able to acquire the largest share when those firms were privatized.

KGB

Soviet secret-police agency charged with domestic and foreign intelligence

Mikhail Khoodorkovsky

Oligarch arrested and imprisoned for his opposition to the Putin administration

Kremlin

Eleventh-century fortress in the heart of Moscow that has been the historical seat of Russian state power

Liberal Democratic Party of Russia (LDPR)

Political party in Russia with a nationalist and antidemocratic orientation

Nomenklatura

Politically sensitive or influential jobs in the state, society, or economy that were staffed by people chosen or approved by the Communist Party

Oligarchs

Russian people noted for their control of large amounts of the Russian economy (including the media), their close ties to the government, and the accusations of corruption surrounding their rise to power.

Orthodox Christianity

A variant of Christianity separate from Roman Catholicism and Protestantism; originally centered in Byzantium (now roughly modern day Turkey).

Parties of Power

Russian parties created by political elites to support their political aspirations; typically lacking any ideological orientation

Perestroika

Literally, restructuring; the policy of political and economic liberalization implemented in the Soviet Union in the late 1980’s

Politburo

The top policy-making and executive body of a communist party; The top policy-making and executive body of the Communist Party in the former Soviet Union.

Vladmir Putin

Current president of Russia, as of 2012; also president of Russia from 1999 to 2008; prime minister from 2008 to 2012

Rus

Origin of the word Russia, thought to refer to Vikings who settled the region in the ninth century c.e.

Shock Therapy

A process of rapid marketization

Siloviki

“Men of Power” who have their origins in the security agencies and are close to President Putin

Soviets

Name given to workers’ councils that sprang up in 1917

Tsar

Russian word for emperor (also czar, from Latin Caesar)

United Russia

Main political party in Russia and supporter of Vladmir Putin

Yabloko

Small party in Russia that advocates democracy and a liberal political-economic system

Boris Yeltsin

President of Russia from 1991 to 1999