Chapter 9 (Russia) Flashcards
A Just Russia
A small party in the Russia Duma with a social-democratic orientation
Caesaropapism
The combining of social and political power in a political system so that the head of state is also the head of church and supreme judge in religious matters
Caucasus
Southwest russia near the Black Sea and Turkey, where there is a diverse mixture of non-Slavic peoples with distinict 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
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, 450 members, elected for 5-year terms
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 legislature
Glasnost
“openness”; policy of political liberalization implement in USSR in the late 1980s
KGB
Soviet secret police agency charged with domestic and foreign intelligence
Kremlin
11th century fortress in the heart of Moscow that has been the historical seat of Russian state power
Lenin
Russian revolutionary who led the 1917 Russian Revolution and headed the USSR from 1917 until 1924
Liberal Democratic Party of Russia (LDPR)
Political party in Russia with a nationalist and antidemocratic orientation
Dmitry Medvedev
President of Russia from 2008-2012, prime minister from 2012-2020, current head of the United Russia Party
Mikhail Mishustin
Prime Minister of Russia until 2020
Alexei Navalny
Political activist who has been detained repeatedly for his opposition to Putin and United Russia
nomenklatura
Politically sensititve or influential jobs in the state, society, or economy that were staffed by people chosen or approved by the Communist Party
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 seperate from Roman Catholicism and Protestantism; originally centered in Byzantium
Parties of Power
Russian parties created by political elites to support their political aspirations; typically lacking any ideological orientation
perestroika
“restructuring”; the policy of economic liberalization implemented in the USSR in the late 80s
Politburo
Top policy-making and executive body of Russia
Putin
President from 1999-2008, prime minister from 2008-2012, president from 2012-present
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 worker’s council that sprung up in 1917
Stalin
Succeeded Lenin as head of state until 1953
State Council
A cabinet-like body chaired by the president that includes regional governors and top federal officials
Tsar
Russian word for emperor
United Russia
Main political party in Russia and supporter of Putin
Yabloko
Small party in Russia that advocates democracy and a liberal political-economic system
Boris Yeltsin
President of Russia from 1991-1999
