Unit 2: Russia Test

The Orthodox Church reinforced the concept of the Tsar as God's representative on Earth, bolstering centralized rule and discouraging challenges to authority.

The Mongol invasion isolated Russia from Europe and introduced a hierarchical, centralized governance model, which Russian leaders adopted later.

Ivan the Terrible consolidated power in Moscow, declared himself Tsar, destroyed opposition institutions, created a personal police force, and established absolute control over land.

Russia's vast size required strong central control to manage and defend its territories effectively.

Limited exposure to European ideas like democracy and individual rights during key European developments, contributed to the persistence of authoritarianism in Russia.

A combination of factors, including Orthodox Christianity, the Mongol invasion, Ivan the Terrible's rule, geography, and isolation from Europe, contributed to the historical roots of authoritarianism in Russia.

A map depicting the geographical extent of the Soviet Union, a former communist state encompassing a vast territory across Eastern Europe and Asia, including Russia.

A map of Russia's current borders, highlighting its vast size and strategic location across Eastern Europe and Asia.

The lower house of the Russian parliament, with 450 members serving five-year terms. It drafts and votes on laws, approves the Prime Minister, and oversees government activity. It's dominated by United Russia, aligning with the President's agenda.

The upper chamber of the Russian parliament representing Russia's regions. It reviews laws, approves decisions on constitutional amendments, war, and judicial appointments. It largely follows the Kremlin's policies.

The President exerts significant influence over the State Duma, despite its legislative roles. The Duma often acts as a legislative arm of the executive branch, aligning with the President's agenda.

Russia theoretically has judicial review, where the Constitutional Court can review laws and acts. However, in practice, the independence of the judiciary and its effectiveness are limited.

Russia faces several challenges undermining the rule of law, including: executive dominance (President's strong influence), selective enforcement, corruption, and restrictions on civil liberties.

The Constitutional Court reviews laws and acts, resolves disputes, and handles citizen complaints. It plays a key role in ensuring the constitutionality of laws and government actions.

If no candidate receives a majority in the first round, a run-off election is held between the top two candidates.

The State Duma has 450 members who serve five-year terms.

A federal system where different regions have varying levels of autonomy and powers. Some regions might have more control over their affairs than others.

Putin has centralized power in Russia by abolishing gubernatorial elections, replacing them with presidential appointments, and controlling financial resources. He also abolished regional presidencies, making regions heavily reliant on the federal government.

Political parties closely aligned with the government, often holding significant power in the legislature. These parties serve as an extension of the ruling power.

United Russia, a conservative, nationalist, and pro-government party, is typically positioned on the right (conservative) and authoritarian end of the political compass.

Parties can sometimes appear to offer a diverse range of options in a multi-party system, but their actions and influence might effectively limit genuine competition and choice.

United Russia's goals include promoting national stability, economic growth, and centralized power. They also prioritize patriotism and maintaining Russian sovereignty.

United Russia dominates Russian political landscape, holding strong support for President Putin. They advocate for conservative values and advocate for a strong centralized government.

United Russia's ideology is characterized by conservatism, nationalism, and a strong pro-government stance. They promote traditional values, Russian national identity, and support for Putin's leadership.

A conflict from 1994-1996 between Russia and Chechnya, sparked by Chechnya's declaration of independence after the fall of the Soviet Union. The war ended in a ceasefire and de facto independence for Chechnya, but with significant casualties and destruction.

A conflict from 1999-2009 between Russia and Chechnya, fueled by insurgent attacks and the rise of Islamist extremism in Chechnya. Russia reasserted control after a heavy military campaign, resulting in the destruction of Grozny and Chechnya coming under direct Russian control.

The current leader of Chechnya, who rose to power in 2007. He maintains close ties with Vladimir Putin and has been instrumental in stabilizing the region under Russian authority.

The desire and efforts of Chechen people to break free from Russian control and establish an independent state. This movement has been a driving force behind the conflicts in Chechnya.

The Chechen Wars have resulted in significant casualties, displacement of civilians, and destruction of infrastructure. The ongoing conflict has also impacted political and social dynamics in both Chechnya and Russia.

Since the Second Chechen War, Russia has maintained tight control over Chechnya. While Chechnya has gained some autonomy under Kadyrov's leadership, it remains a part of Russia.

Chechnya has gained some degree of self-governance under Ramzan Kadyrov's leadership, signifying a shift in Russia's approach towards Chechnya after years of conflict. However, it is still within Russian control and their autonomy is subject to Russian approval.

Ramzan Kadyrov's rule has brought stability and peace to Chechnya, but also concerns regarding human rights violations. He has significantly strengthened the region's ties with Russia, creating a new balance of power.

Boris Yeltsin, President of the Russian Republic, opposed the hardliners' coup in 1991, becoming a key figure in the Soviet Union's dissolution. He later became the first President of the Russian Federation, steering the country towards democracy and capitalism.

The Soviet Union's collapse was due to a combination of economic problems, political reforms like Perestroika and Glasnost, and rising nationalism within its republics.

Gorbachev's policies of Perestroika (economic restructuring) and Glasnost (openness) aimed to fix the Soviet system, but instead weakened its control and accelerated its decline.

Russia's government can be described as authoritarian, centralized, with a dominant-party system, a federal republic structure, and a managed democracy.

The 1993 Russian Constitution emphasizes strong presidential powers, giving the President significant control over the government, including appointing the Prime Minister, issuing decrees with the force of law, dissolving the Duma, and directing foreign and defense policies.

Russia's legislative branch, the Federal Assembly, has two chambers: the State Duma, which proposes and passes laws, approves the Prime Minister, and initiates votes of no confidence; and the Federation Council, which represents regional interests and reviews federal laws.

The 1993 Constitution establishes a judiciary with the Constitutional Court, Supreme Court, and other federal courts, but despite the provision for judicial independence, executive influence limits its actual autonomy.

The President of Russia is the most powerful figure, holding significant control over foreign policy, security, and most government institutions. They nominate the Prime Minister and influence the FSB and the siloviki.

The Federal Security Service (FSB), successor to the KGB, is responsible for internal security, intelligence gathering, and counterintelligence. They are a critical part of the security apparatus.

The siloviki are high-ranking officials with backgrounds in security, military, or intelligence services, holding influential positions in government and business. They are often former security officials with strong ties to the President.

The State Council is an advisory body to the President, composed of regional leaders, senior officials, and experts. It provides guidance and support to the President but lacks any legislative power.

The Prime Minister is nominated by the President and approved by the State Duma. While they implement policies, their authority is subordinate to the President and lacks true independence.

The State Duma, the lower house of the Federal Assembly, is responsible for drafting and passing legislation, approving the President's nominee for Prime Minister, and initiating votes of no confidence against the government.

The Federation Council, the upper house of the Federal Assembly, represents each region and is involved in ratifying military action abroad, approving presidential appointments to the judiciary, and overseeing regional and federal relations.

Russia has a bicameral legislature, meaning it has two chambers: the State Duma (lower house) and the Federation Council (upper house). They both play significant roles in the legislative process, but the President holds ultimate authority.

In Russia, the President holds the most significant power, controlling foreign policy, security, and most government institutions. The Prime Minister, while responsible for implementation, is subordinate to the President. The Federal Assembly (Duma and Federation Council) provides legislative oversight, but the President has considerable influence over this process.

A voting system where the number of seats a party wins in parliament is proportional to the percentage of votes it receives.

A voting system where the candidate with the most votes in a district wins the seat, even if they don't receive a majority.

A process where the legislative branch (parliament) scrutinizes and holds the executive branch (government) accountable.

A mechanism in a parliamentary system where the legislature can remove the government if it loses a vote on its policies.

The power of courts to review government actions to ensure they comply with the law and Constitution.

The upper chamber of the British Parliament, with the power to delay or suggest amendments to government legislation.

The presence of strong parties aligned with the President's agenda limits the Duma's ability to effectively check his power.

President Putin's consolidation of power has significantly reduced the Duma's influence on policymaking, restricting its ability to hold the executive accountable.

Tactics employed by the President's administration to diminish the presence and effectiveness of opposition parties in the Duma.

The Duma's influence has declined since the 1990s, partly due to the rise of pro-presidential parties and the centralization of power under Putin.

In the 1990s, the Duma refused to approve some of President Yeltsin's nominees for key positions, demonstrating its ability to challenge executive authority.

The Duma passed laws to restrict the scope of presidential decrees, particularly during Yeltsin's presidency, reducing his executive power.

In 1999, the Duma attempted to impeach President Yeltsin, although unsuccessful, it demonstrated the potential for the Duma to challenge the president's actions.