Russia Key Terms

Chechnya

A constituent republic (federal subject) of the Russian Federation located in the North Caucasus.

Communist Party of the Russian Federation

A major opposition party founded in 1993, succeeding the prior Soviet Communist Party and following a Marxist-Leninist ideology with nationalism.

Constitutional Court

A high-end court tasked with upholding a nation's constitution and overseeing legal enforcement.

Federation Council

The upper house of the Federal Assembly representing the various federal subjects.

Glasnost

A policy of political openness and freedom of information implemented by Mikhail Gorbachev to modernize the Soviet system.

Perestroika

A policy of restructuring involving administrative, economic, and political reforms.

Law-Governed State

A government system accountable to established laws to prevent arbitrary rule.

Lenin

A revolutionary who founded the Soviet Union and established a communist government under a one-party dictatorship.

Loans for Shares

A privatization scheme (1995-1996) where the Russian government borrowed money from private banks owned by oligarchs to fund its budget.

Oligarchs

Wealthy elites who use their economic power to influence political decisions, often controlling key industries.

Presidential Decrees

Formal directives issued by a president that have the force of law without requiring prior approval from the legislature.

Privatization

The transfer of ownership, property, or business from the government (public sector) to private entities (private sector).

Procuracy

The powerful nationwide organization of prosecuting attorneys responsible for overseeing legal enforcement.

Security Council

The main organ of the United Nations responsible for maintaining international peace and security, including five permanent members: UK, France, Russia, China, and the US.

Shock Therapy

A rapid, drastic transition from a state-planned economy to a free-market system, notably used in 1990s Russia under Boris Yeltsin.

Stalin

Totalitarian dictator of the Soviet Union (1924-1953) who transformed the USSR into an industrial superpower through centralization, 5 Year Plans, and violent purges.

State Duma

The lower house of Russia's Federal Assembly, consisting of 450 members who pass legislation, approve the prime minister, and oversee the government.

United Russia

The dominant ruling political party in the Russian Federation, founded in 2001, that provides a legislative majority to support Putin's policies.

Mikhail Gorbachev

last leader of the Soviet Union, known for his policies of glasnost and perestroika that aimed to reform the economy and promote openness.