AP Comp Gov (Unit 2) - Russia

Bolsheviks - A revolution led in 1917 that overthrew the Russian provisional Government during world war one; established Soviet Russia as a socialist state 

bourgeoisie - the capitalist middle class that owns the means of production and shapes economic policies and political structures, often prioritizing profit and capital accumulation. owned factories and businesses and were known for exploiting workers 

command economy - economy in which the state owns most the resources and makes all major economic decisions

communism - means of production are owned and controlled by the government; the elimination of private property to stop class struggles between the working (proletariat) and the owning class (bourgeoisie)

cult of personality - an effort which is made to create an idealized and heroic image of a glorious leader, often through unquestioned flattery, praise, and imagery 

cultural revolution - Launched by Mao Zedhong in 1966 to renew loyalty to communism and purge china claiming elitists were undermining the government and chinese society 

de-Stalinization - a political reform launched by the Soviet Communist Party that condemned the cult of personality and the crimes committed by Joseph Stalin, destroying his image and promising to return Russia to socialism 

glasnost - “openness”; a soviet policy to address political and social issues impacting the Soviet Union. Gave the government greater transparency and allowed people to criticize the government 

nomenklatura - the process of filling influential government positions with people approved from the communist party; a list of trusted people and families who are on the side of the communist party who can get trusted government positions 

perestroika - “restructuring” the restructuring of the of Soviet political and economic systems towards a market based economy 

proletariat - the working class in a capitalist society, particularly the people who don’t own the means of production and must sell their labor to survive 

Politburo - a small group of influential people who hold the highest decision-making power in a communist party and state; responsible for policy making decisions 

Secretariat - responsible for managing the day-to-day operations of the communist soviet union; they handle technical issues like party organization and routine administration affairs 

shock therapy - the state simultaneously imposing a wide range of radical economic changes, with the purpose of shocking the economy into a new mode of operation. Russia attempted this and it lead to inflation 

socialism - an economic and political system where the means of production, distribution, and exchange of major industries are owned and controlled by the community (government). It aims to reduce social inequalities and promote collective welfare 

totalitarianism - a political system where the state has unrestrained power and attempts to exert total authority over all areas of public and private life 

Warsaw Pact - a political and military establishment between the Soviet Union and several eastern european countries to counterbalance NATO (North Atlantic Treaty Organization)

Five-year plan - State-driven economic programs implemented by the Soviet Union under Stalin to rapidly industrialize and collectivize agriculture. These centralized plans aimed to boost heavy industry, increase production quotas, and strengthen state control over the economy.

Oligarchs - business oligarchs of the former Soviet republics who rapidly accumulated wealth in the 1990s via the Russian privatisation that followed the dissolution of the Soviet Union. 

Duma -  Russian assembly with advisory or legislative functions. Bicameral, approves the prime minister (can call for a vote of no confidence), impeach the president (in theory)