Russia, Ap Comparative Gov

democratic centralism

The Leninist organizational structure that concentrates power in the hands of the party elite.

glasnost

Under Gorbachov, Soviet policies that opened up the political system and allowed for freedom of expression.

near abroad

Russian term to describe the other fourteen republics of the former Soviet Union.

nomenklatura

The soviet system of lists that facilitated the CPSU's appointment of trusted people to key positions. Adopted by other communist regimes. Patron jobs.

oligarch

Business and political leaders with, what some think, is undue influence in Russia.

perestroika

Ill-fated program to reform the Soviet economy in the late 1980s.

power ministries

The most important departments in the Russian government.

privatization

The selling off of state-owned companies

purge

The systematic removal of people from party, state, or other office; especially common in communist systems.

shock therapy

Policies in formerly communist countries that envisage as rapid a shift to a market economy as possible.

Leonid Brezhnev

General secretary of the CPSU from 1964 until 1982. Largely responsible for the stagnation of the USSR.

Viktor Chernomyrdin

Prime minister of Russia 1993-98.

Yegor Gaidar

Reformist politician and acting prime minister of Russia in 1993.

Mikhail Gorbachev

Head of the CPSU and last president of the Soviet Union (from 2002). He takes control of the USSR in 1982 when it is on the verge of collapse.

Nikita Khrushchev

Successor of Josef Stalin as head of CPSU and Soviet Union from 1953 until he was ousted in 1964. He enacts the tacit social contract

V.I. Lenin

Architect of the Bolshevik revolution and first leader of the Soviet Union.

Vladimir Putin

President of Russia 2000-08. He consolidated power and crushed any revolution against him.

Joseph Stalin

Leader of the CPSU and Soviet Union, 1924-53.

Boris Yeltsin

Former reformist communist leader and president of Russia, 1991-2000. Heads the Russian Federation and proposed conservative transition to a market economy and immediate neoliberal economic reform.

Vladmir Zhirinovsky

Leader of the right-wing and racist liberal democratic party in Russia.

Gennady Zyuganov

Head of the Russian communist party.

bolsheviks

Lenin's faction of the Russian Social Democratic Party; later came to mean anyone who followed his views and/or organization.

central committee

Supposedly the most important body in a communist party; its influence declines as it grew in size and the party needed daily leadership.

cheka

The Soviet Union's first secret police.

comintern

The Third international.

communist party of the russian federation (CPRF)

The new incarnation of the CPSU for Russia. Based off of state lead development, more social services. It is losing support.

communist party of the soviet union (CPSU)

The party thats ran the Soviet Union until its collapse in 1991.

fatherland-all Russia

One of the leading opposition parties in Russia in the 1999 Duma elections.

federation council

The largely powerless upper house of the Russian parliament. Similar to the House of Lords.

five-year plan

In the former Soviet Union and other cummunist countries, the period for which Gosplan developed goals and quotas.

gosplan

The Soviet central planning agency.

liberal democrats

the neofascist and racist opposition party led by Vladmir Zhirinovsky. Nationalistic.

mensheviks

The smaller and more moderate faction of the Russian Social Democratic Party before World War I.

our home is russia

New political party chaired by former prime minister Viktor Chernomyrdin.

politburo

Generic term used to describe the leadership of communist parties.

provisional government

Generic term used to describe temporary governments until a new constitution is written, also the government in Russia between the two 1917 revolutions.

russian federation

Formal name of Russia.

secret speech

Given by Khrushchev in 1957, seen as the start of the "thaw."

secretariat

Generic term used to describe the bureaucratic leaders of a communist party.

state duma

The lower house of the Russian parliament. It proposes legislation, excercises oversight on the bureaucracy. 7% threshold for proportional representation.

third international

Moscow-dominated organization of communist parties around the world between the two world wars.

twentieth party congress

Occasion of Khrushchev's "secret speech" launching de-Stalinization.

union of right forces

Created by a group of reformers who were more firmly committed to promarket policies than Yabloko.

United Russia (unity)

The second largest, but the most influential party in Russia during 2002. It was put together by Boris Berezovsky. Party of Putin. It is the largest and most popular of all the parties.

yabloko

One of the leading reformist parties in Russia. Pro civil liberties/rights.

KGB

Soviet secret service

Boris Berezovsky

Organized unity.

Kyzhkov Yuri

One of the first supporters of Moscow, a mayor, who led most of the early polls in the run-up to the 2000 presidential elections.

command economy

A situation in which the government makes all the decisions regarding the economy.

totalitarian state

A situation in which government controls the lives of its citizens completely.

tacit social contract

People pretend to work, government pretends to pay them.

Communist reformation

parestrika, glasnot, democratization, and new thinking. End result is too much, too fast.

Russian Constitution

Written by referendum, democratic. President may run twice in a row for four year terms.

Duel Executive

President and a Prime Minister where President has all power and appoints PM with Duma confirmation. Majority wins. If no majority exists, runoff between top 2 occurs.

floating system

Party loyalty is not based on ideology, but rather charisma.

terrorism

Opera House (2002)- Poison gas--> no negotiating with terrorism. Beslan siege (2004)- school hostage during renovation--> 334 dead, government is slow in reaction and doesn't negotiate.

Secession Movements

Chechnians want to succeed. Russia crushes hopes by attacking.

Environment

Shock therapy causes bad air fast. Very bad.

Crime/Alcoholism

Very high.

Civil society

Very weak. Registration for interest groups necessary. Rise in labor strikes. Political assassinations--> Politkouskaya (2006), Litvenenko (2006)

Bureaucracy

People within education and health care system. The government wasnted to get rid of the system.

Federal Security Bureau (FSB)

blackmails government. Like FBI.

Judiciary

Presumption of guilt.--> prove your innocence.

Rule of law

corruption is high, patron client relations happening.

asymmetrical federation

Some states are more powerful that others--) Chechnya. It protects autonomy and keeps the people happy.

Koni

state with ethnic group and environmental policies.

Yakutia

Profit off of minerals.

Military

Highly respected and proffessional.

President (2009)

Dmitri Medvedev

Head of Government (PM-2009)

Vladimir Putin

Election System

Proportional Representation (7% threshhold)

Bicameral Legislature

Federation (upper house- little power), Duma (lower house- more power)