Unit 3.1 Concepts and Vocabulary - Russia

A Just Russia

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, precursor to the KGB.

Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS)

A loose integrationist body that incorporates many former Soviet republics.

Communist Party of the Russian Federation (CPRF)

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

Constitutional Court

Highest body in the Russian legal system; 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 KGB, the Russian intelligence agency.

Federation Council

Upper house of the Russian legislature.

Glashost

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

KGB

Soviet secret-police agency charged with domestic and foreign intelligence.

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.

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.

Perestrokia

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

Politburo

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

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.

United Russia

Main political party in Russia and supporter of Vladimir Putin.

Yabloko

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