Foreign Policy and Current Issues- Russia

Question 1

First few years of the Russian federation

Answer 1

Very difficult. Characterized by a great deal of uncertainty regarding the regime’s future. Any regime change creates legitimacy issues. The change in leadership between Yeltsin and Putin also made it difficult to follow continuous threads in policy over the years, although alternating between reform and authoritarianism is an old theme goes back to the days of the tsars.

Question 2

Biggest challenge the Soviet Union faced in 1991

Answer 2

Insurmountable economic problems.

Question 3

Perestroika

Answer 3

Reforms by Mikhail Gorbachev. Primarily consisting of market economy programs inserted into the traditional centralized state ownership design of the Soviet Union.
Never fully implemented.

Question 4

“Shock therapy”

Answer 4

By Yeltsin. Created chaotic conditions that resulted in a small group of entrepreneurs running the economy.

Question 5

1997

Answer 5

The bottom fell out of the economy when the government defaulted on billions of dollars of debts. The stock market lost half its value, and threatened to topple other markets around the globe.
People suffered from sudden introduction of the free market and unemployment rates soared.

Question 6

1997-2007

Answer 6

Russian economy steadily improved, particularly in the new areas of privatized industries, but it suffered a tremendous blow when oil prices plummeted in 2008.

Question 7

GDP

Answer 7

Russia ended 2008 with a GDP growth of 6%.

Question 8

2008

Answer 8

Russian stock market dropped 70%
Companies couldn’t pay loans-
Government responded with a rescue plan of over $200 million for the financial sector.

Question 9

Oil and gas

Answer 9

Today Russia’s economy is ruled by huge oil and gas reserves, and the corporation (mostly private) that own them.

Question 10

Economic priorities in 2009 by Medvedev

Answer 10

Improving: 
- Infrastructure 
- Innovation
- Investment 
- Institutions 
Reducing state's role in the economy.
Reforming the tax system and banking structure.
Diversify the economy.

Question 11

Privatization vs. state control

Answer 11

Privatization:
-Medvedev announced pans to sell state asset.
State control:
- Putin shifted the emphasis back to a state-capitalist model, with the government playing a strong role in the economy.

Question 12

Hegemony

Answer 12

The Soviet Union held hegemony over huge portions of the world for much of the 20th century, and when it fell apart in 1991, that dominance was broken.

Question 13

1990s

Answer 13

A time of chaos and humiliation. Had to rely on load from the US to keep the economy up.

Question 14

Putin redefined Russia’s place in the world

Answer 14

1) New interpretation of the county’s relationship with the west.
2) Role among the former Soviet States.

Question 15

Confederation of Independent States

Answer 15

United the fifteen former republic of the Soviet Union. Russia is the clear leader of this group.
Trade agreements bind them together, but nationality differences keep them from reaching common agreements.
Will never be as strong as the European Union.

Question 16

Controversial recent moves of the Russian government in the near-abroad: Ukraine

Answer 16

Putin’s involvement in the 2004 presidential election in the Ukraine.
Putin said he would support Viktor Yushchenko with financing and political advisors. Putin went tot he Ukraine twice to campaign for Viktor. Popular protests broke out after Viktor won, which claims that the election was fraudulent.

Question 17

Controversial recent moves of the Russian government in the near-abroad: Estonia

Answer 17

Controversy erupted between Russia and Estonia in 2007 when the Estonian government removed a Soviet-era statue from a public place in its capital, Tallinn. Russians living in Estonia reacted with attacks of public places in the capital.

The old ethnicities of the culturally heterogenous Soviet Union are still at odds, even though they are no longer united under one central government.

Question 18

Russia relationshop with countries in the near-abroad

Answer 18

Russia relationshop with countries in the near-abroad have been affected by its invasion of Georgia in 2008. Russian troops and armored vehicles rolled into South Ossetia, a “breakaway region” that sought its independence.

Question 19

Relations with the west

Answer 19

The biggest adjustment for Russia since 1991 has been the loss of its superpower status from the Cold War era, (US became the only one).
US presidents supported Russia because they knew that the economic collapse of Russia would effect the world economy.
Russia became part of the G-7, now G-8.

Question 20

World Trade Organization (WTO)

Answer 20

Russia finally succeeded in doing the WTO in 2012. Putin hopes that this will win more trade for Russia.

Question 21

Gazprom

Answer 21

Russia’s relations with countries of the West and the near-abroad are strongly defined by the clout of its oil and gas industries. Gazprom (Russia’s state-run gas company) has raised the price of gas and been met with unhappy responses.

Question 22

Near-abroad

Answer 22

Refers to the newly independent republics (other than Russia itself) which emerged after the dissolution of the Soviet Union.

Question 23

Relationship with the EU

Answer 23

Russian leader have shown signs that they are more interested in maintaining their relationship with other fast-growing BRIC economies than they are in cooperating with the aging European countries.
Still, Russia depends on the EU for half its trade.

Question 24

Relationship with the US

Answer 24

2003 was the real braking point. Has become more tense between the years. Since Obama thing have lightened up.

Question 25

Terrorism

Answer 25

• Suicide bombing in Moscow
• Beslan school siege in southern Russia in 2004
• Subway bombing
• Airplane bombing
  Putin argued that only a tighter grip from the central government would foil terrorist.
  Top officials (including regional governors) would no longer be directly elected, but would be selected by the president then approved by regional legislatures.

Question 26

Population issues

Answer 26

Russia has suffered a dramatic drop in its  overall population. 
Peaked: 1990s
Two reasons for decline:
1) Low birth rate
2) poor heath habits 
2012- population slightly increased.

Question 27

Re-centralization of Power in the Kremlin

Answer 27

Some critics believe that Putin’s reforms for the Duma and the selection of regional governors are more then a response to terrorism, but part of a re-centralization of power on the Kremlin.
Kremlin now controls mejor TV stations and Gazprom.

Question 28

Civil society

Answer 28

Civil society starts with the acceptance of two area of life:
1) Public one- defined by the government
2) Private one- people are free to make their own individual choices.
Counties with strong civil society; people follow rules, operate with a degree of trust toward the each other.
Democracy and capitalism both depend on civil society.

Question 29

Statism

Answer 29

Russians do not necessarily share the assumptions that civil society rests on: inherent value of life, liberty, and property.
Instead they have been influenced by tradition of statism- have a strong government or die.