Unit Three: Russia Flashcards
Some regions are much stronger than
others, so power is devolved unequally across the country, a condition
called_____
asymmetric federalism
the oligarch who founded United Russia
Berezovsky, Boris
Lenin’s followers
Bolsheviks
a privileged class of rich landowners
boyars
reigned over Russia for 34 years—longer than any other female in Russian history. As empress, Catherine westernized Russia. She led her country into full participation in the political and cultural life of Europe
Catherine the Great
group of Communist party leaders that met twice a year
Central Committee
this is weak in Russia due to the communist ways; any interest groups during that time were heavily controlled by the government, which is still somewhat present today.
civil society in Russia
Private land ownership was done away with, and the farms were intended to feed workers in the cities who contributed to the industrialization of the nation.
collective farms, collectivization
united the fifteen former republics of the Soviet Union, and Russia has been the clear
leader of the group. However, the organization has little formal power over its members, and today only nine former republics remain tied to it. Russia’s motives are almost always under strict scrutiny by other countries. Still, trade agreements bind them together, although nationality differences keep the members from reaching common agreements.
Commonwealth of Independent States
a primarily Muslim region that has
fought for years for its freedom
conflict in Chechnya
created a three-branch government, with a president, a prime minister, a lower legislative house called the Duma, and a Constitutional Court
Constitution of 1993
has the power to challenge the constitutionality of laws and other official actions of legislative and executive bodies
Constitutional Court
convinced many of the tsar’s critics that Russian ways were indeed backward and in need of major reform; Technological/military reform
Crimean War
The Communist Party of the Russian Federation; the biggest competition to United Russia
CPRF
Most citizens in Russia in Russian, however there is a strong influence from the Muslim community
cultural heterogeneity in Russia
Western thought influenced Russian intellectuals who saw no room for western political institutions to grow under the tsars’ absolutism. Their frustration erupted in the _____. Suppressed by Nicholas I
Decembrist Revolt
a decision that the legislature has no control over
decrees
the idea of a “vanguard” leadership group
that would lead to the revolution because the people could not organize it themselves.
democratic centralism
a process that brought about reforms, such as loosening government censorship of the press, decentralization of economic decision-making, and restructuring collective farms.
de-Stalinization
the lower house made up of 450 members
Duma
Russian egalitarianism has survived the fall of the Soviet Union and most Russians resent wealth and income differences.
equality of result in Russia
The Russian Federation has retained this model, and the current regime consists of eighty-nine regions, with a bicameral system
federal government structure
upper house; consists of two members from each of the 89 federal administrative units. Since 2002 one representative is selected by the governor of each region and another by the regional legislature.
Federation Council
With this, Stalin set ambitious goals for the production of heavy industry, such as oil, steel, and electricity
Five Year Plans
head of Politburo during Soviet Union era; For example, Stalin
general secretary
This term translates from Russian as “openness”; it allowed more open discussion of political, social, and economic issues as well as open criticism of the government.
glasnost
