Russia operates as a federal presidential republic with a multi-party system. Power is concentrated in the presidency, currently held by Vladimir Putin. The constitution established a three-branch government with a bicameral legislature. However, Putin has consolidated power by weakening regional authority and limiting political opposition. The economy remains heavily dependent on energy exports and oligarchic control of industries, though Putin has curbed some oligarchic power.

1. RUSSIA
Maria Jiwani B. Laña

2. RUSSIA
Transitional Democracy

3. Historical
Development
Politics
Government
Economy

4. HISTORICAL
DEVELOPMENT

5. • Russia has been under authoritative rule
for most of its history
• Early monarchs followed by the rule of
the czars led the Russian people to
embrace that style

6. The Czars
• As a country ruled by the czars, Russia
enjoyed some degree of stability,
although a new leader meant a new
regime.
• The people as a whole were very poor
and had little means of resisting their
rulers

7. The Czars
• When the czarist regime finally fell, it
gave way to Lenin and the Marxists.
• This philosophy took hold easily with the
repressed working class of Russia.
• The people responded well to a strong
leader.

8. WW2 & ITS INFLUENCE
• With Stalin in power, the second World
War was a lightning rod for Russian
nationalism.
• Instilled a sense of pride that persists
even in todays Duma.
• Solidified the power of the Communist
government and consolidated the Soviet
Union.

9. Russia under Communists
• The Economy
–Although Russia's market system was purely
socialistic, the nation became an economic
superpower.
–Under Stalin, Russia became highly
industrialized.
–Competition with the United States drove
development of new technologies.

10. Russia under Communists
• The Military and Secret Police
–Russia became a major military
superpower, and many of its generals
became extremely influential in
Russian society.
–The KGB kept a close eye on both the
Russian people and Americans, and the
secret police had a very tight grip on
society

11. Russia under Communists
• The People and their Freedoms
–Under communism, personal freedoms
took a backseat; the state was always
the most important
–Liberties enjoyed by Western
democracies were not shared by the
Russian people, but due to propaganda,
fear, and a history of obedience, the
people didn't rise up

12. Rise of Putin
• Putin's rise to power can be directly
linked to the societal upheaval following
the fall of the USSR.
• Weak leadership and a floundering
economy left an opening for the then
unknown Putin.
• He promised stability and a stronger
state, and he delivered

13. President Putin & the Current
Government
• Putin turned Russia again towards an
executive run nation.
• His own party, United Russia, was
formed to help ensure his policies would
pass through the Duma.
• Formed a strong hold on two of three
branches of government

14. Putin’s Policies
• A major problem in Russia was the power
of the oligarchs.
• The political elite in Russia siphoned off
huge sums of money, and coupled with
corruption, crippled the Russian people
economically.

15. Putin’s Policies
• In order to regain some Russia's lost
lands, Putin took major military action
against Chechnya, a breakaway Islamic
republic in the south.
• With a puppet leader in place, Putin
claimed a victory for Russia and began
forming his image as a decisive leader

16. Putin’s Policies
• Realizing Russia's major energy
potential, Putin has taken large steps
towards increasing the nation's oil
production.
• Putin has also begun rearming the
country's military to Soviet Union levels
in an attempt to re-establish the nation as
a superpower.

17. Putin’s Policies
• Putin looks down on “blocs” of countries
such as NATO; much of Russia finds the
organization to be either useless or a
threat to the country's influence
• As a UN Security Council member, Putin
has attempted to block many actions that
he feels would limit Russian power or
increase that of the US

18. Sovereignty & Authority
• The issue of who has the right to rule
in Russia has a history of being
questioned.
• Under the czars and communists,
strong authoritarian figures subjected
the people to their will, yet differing
factions continuously fought for
control

19. Sovereignty & Authority
• In today's society, the oligarchs, people,
and government all have differing
opinions on the optimal use of power
• With Russia, power is generally
concentrated in the hands of whoever
fights hardest to gain it; historically, the
people have rarely fought for power, and
therefore it is maintained by the
government

20. Maintenance of Power
• Like a typical federal system, Russia
operates as the people wish; representatives
are elected popularly, as is the president.
• Standard taxes and tariffs help maintain the
nation's economy, and the government
generally provides for the people.
• Authority is centred strongly in the
executive, who makes decisions for “the
good of Russia”

21. GOVERNMENT

22. Overview
• Form of Government- Federal Presidential Republic
• President - Head of the State
• Prime Minister – Head of the Government
• Legislature(Federal Assembly)
– Bicameral
• Federation Council – Upper house
• State Duma – Lower house
• Constitution – written, 1993 constitution
• Voting Qualifications- universal at 18 years old
• Highest Court - Supreme Court

23. Transition
• Fundamental changes took place in the
political system and government structures of
the Soviet Union that altered both the nature of
the Soviet federal state and the status and
powers of the individual republics.
• From the late 1980s through 1991—the period
of Mikhail Gorbachev's perestroika
(“restructuring”), glasnost (“openness”), and
demokratizatsiya (“democratization”) reform
policies

24. Glasnost (Openness)
• Open discussion of political, social, and
economic issues
• Allowed for open criticism of government and
government policies
• Gorbachev stressed that the ultimate test of
the party lay in improving the economic well-
being of the country and it’s people
– Open market relations
– Pragmatic economic policy
– Less secretive government

25. Perestroika – “Restructuring”
• Loosened controls of the Communist Party, allowing
group formation in other sectors of society
• Economic Restructuring
– Modernization from within
– Transfer economic power from central government
to private hands and market economy
• Authorization of privately owned companies
• Penalties for under-performing state factories
• Price reforms
• Encouragement of joint ventures with foreign
companies
• Leasing of farm land outside the collective farms

26. Demokratizatsiya
• Gorbachev wanted to insert some democratic
characteristics into the old Soviet structure
• However, he did want to maintain Communist Party
control
• Reforms included:
1. A new Congress of People’s Deputies with
directly elected representatives
2. New position of “President” that was selected by
the Congress
• Deputies were often critical of Gorbachev
• Increasing levels of displeasure with
government from both liberal and
conservative members of Communist Party

27. • Russia is a federal
system operating
under a constitution
that was written
after the fall of the
Soviet Union

28. The Constitution
• The new constitution maintained many of
the same rules that existed under Soviet
rule, suggesting that the Russian people
are not fond of change
• It did establish a three branch federal
system that would promote a democratic
style of government and ensure the rights
of the people would be protected

29. The Constitution
• The 1993 constitution declares Russia a
democratic, federative, law-based state
with a republican form of government.
• State power is divided among the
legislative, executive, and judicial
branches.
• Diversity of ideologies and religions is
sanctioned, and a state or compulsory
ideology may not be adopted.

30. The Constitution
• The right to a multiparty political system is
upheld.
• The content of laws must be made public
before they take effect, and they must be
formulated in accordance with international
law and principles.
• Russian is proclaimed the state language,
although the republics of the federation are
allowed to establish their own state languages
for use alongside Russian

31. The
Federation
Council
The
State
Duma
President
Premier
Deputy
Chairmen
Ministries
Constitutional
Court
Supreme
Court
Supreme Court
of Arbitration
Prosecutor
General

32. President
Prime Minister
Citizens, entitled to vote(over 18 years old)
Constitutional Court
Supreme Court
Supreme Court of
Arbitration
Federal Assembly
State DumaFederation
Council
450 seats166 deputies form
83 federal subjects
(2 delegates from
each subjects, 1
from an executive
body and one from
a representative
body)
nominates
confirms
nominates
confirms

33. President
Premier
Deputy
Chairmen
Ministries
The President is the
head of state.
Elected by popular
vote every six years for
a maximum of two
consecutive terms.

34. President
Premier
Deputy
Chairmen
Ministries
 Empowered to appoint
the chairman of the
government, key judges
and cabinet members.
 Can declare Martial
Law

35. President
Premier
Deputy
Chairmen
Ministries
The commander-in-
chief of the armed
forces.
Can veto legislative
bills.

36. President
Premier
Deputy
Chairmen
Ministries
Determines the direction
of Russia’s domestic and
foreign policy.
Can issue decrees and
directives that have the
force of law without
legislative review.

37. President
Premier
Deputy
Chairmen
Ministries
Has the prerogatives of
scheduling referendums,
submitting draft laws to the
State Duma and
promulgating federal laws.

38. President
Premier
Deputy
Chairmen
Ministries
• The State Duma may file
impeachment charges with
the Federation Council if
the President commits
grave crimes or treason.
• A two-thirds vote of the
Federation Councils
required for the removal.

39. President
Premier
Deputy
Chairmen
Ministries
With no vice-
president, if
anything happens to
president the PM
assumes the office
of president.

40. President
Premier
Deputy
Chairmen
Ministries
He nominates all
subordinate
Government positions.

41. The Federation Council
The State
Duma
 The upper house in the
Russian Federal
Assembly.
 It has 170 members
known as Senators
 Each 5 federal subjects
of Russia sends two
members to the council.

42. The Federation Council
The State
Duma
 Deals primarily with issues
of concern to the
subnational jurisdictions,
such as adjustments to
internal borders and
decrees of the president
establishing martial law or
states of emergency.

43. The State
Duma
It also has responsibilities
in confirming and removing
the procurator general and
confirming justices of the
Constitutional Court, the
Supreme Court, and the
Superior Court of
Arbitration, upon the
recommendation of the
president.
The Federation Council

44. The State
Duma
 The Federation Council
also is entrusted with the
final decision if the State
Duma recommends
removing the president
from office.
The Federation Council

45. The
Federation
Council
The State Duma
• Lower House
• 450 deputies
• Passes Bills
• Approves Budgets
• Confirms president’s
political appointments

46. The
Federation
Council
The State
Duma
o Draft laws may originate in
either legislative chamber,
or they may be submitted
by the president, the
Government, local
legislatures, the Supreme
Court, the Constitutional
Court, or the Superior
Court of Arbitration.

47. The
Federation
Council
The State
Duma
• Draft laws are first considered
in the State Duma.
• Upon adoption by a majority of
the full State Duma
membership, a draft law is
considered by the Federation
Council, which has fourteen
days to place the bill on its
calendar.

48. The
Federation
Council
The State
Duma
• Conciliation commissions are
the prescribed procedure to
work out differences in bills
considered by both chambers.

49. The
Federation
Council
The State
Duma
• The two chambers of the
legislature also have the
power to override a
presidential veto of
legislation. The constitution
provides a high hurdle for
an override, however,
requiring at least a two-
thirds vote of the total
number of members of both
chambers.

50. Supreme
Court
Supreme Court
of Arbitration
Prosecutor
General
• The Constitutional Court is
presided over by 19 judges
• Appointed to life terms
• Judges for both the Supreme
Court and the Constitutional
Court must be at least 25
years of age and hold a law
degree.
Constitutional
Court

51. Constitutional
Court
Supreme
Court
Supreme Court
of Arbitration
Prosecutor
General
decides whether federal
laws, presidential and
federal decrees and
directives, and local
constitutions, charters, and
laws comply with the
federal constitution.

52. Constitutional
Court
Supreme
Court
Supreme Court
of Arbitration
Prosecutor
General
Treaties between the
national government and a
regional jurisdiction and
between regional
jurisdictions are subject to
the same oversight.

53. Supreme
Court
Supreme Court
of Arbitration
Prosecutor
General
Constitutional
Court
 The Constitutional
Court has the power of
judicial review, which
enables it to rule on the
constitutionality of
laws.

54. Constitutional
Court
Supreme
Court
Supreme Court
of Arbitration
Prosecutor
General
 Russia's highest court of
origination and of
appeals for consideration
of criminal, civil, and
administrative cases.

55. Constitutional
Court
Supreme
Court
Supreme Court
of Arbitration
Prosecutor
General
 the highest court for
the resolution of
economic disputes.
Courts of arbitration
also exist at lower
jurisdictional levels.

56. Local and
Regional
Government

57. • Although the Soviet Union was highly
centralized, it still maintained a federal
government structure.
• Russian Federation has retained this
model, with the current regime
consisting of 89 regions, 21 of which are
ethnically non-Russian by majority.
• Each region is bound by treaty to the
Federation, not all have officially signed
on (Chechnya)

58. • Most regions are called “republics”
• Many republics ruled themselves
independently, but Putin has cracked
down on this.
• Putin ended direct election of the 89
regional governors, they are now
nominated by the president and
confirmed by the regional
legislatures

59. Administrative Divisions
• oblasti (regions),
• minority republics,
• okruga (autonomous districts),
• kraya (territories),
• federal cities (Moscow and St.
Petersburg),
• and the one autonomous oblast

60. • Some local authorities, particularly in urban
centres, exercise significant power and are
responsible for taxation and the licensing of
businesses. Moscow and St. Petersburg have
particularly strong local governments, with
both possessing a tax base and government
structure that dwarf the country's other regions.
Local councils in smaller communities are
commonly rubber-stamp agencies, accountable
to the city administrator, who is appointed by
the regional governor.

61. • In the mid-1990s, municipal
government was restructured. City
councils (dumas), city mayors, and city
administrators replaced former city
soviets.

62. • The constitution gives equal power to
each of the country's administrative
divisions in the Federal Assembly.
However, the power of the divisions was
diluted in 2000 when seven federal
districts (Central, Far East, Northwest,
Siberia, Southern, Urals, and Volga),
each with its own presidential envoy,
were established by the central
government

63. • The districts' presidential envoys were given
the power to implement federal law and to
coordinate communication between the
president and the regional governors. Legally,
the envoys in federal districts had solely the
power of communicating the executive
guidance of the federal president. In practice,
however, the guidance served more as a
directive, as the president was able to use the
envoys to enforce presidential authority over
the regional governments.

64. • In comparison to the federal
government, regional governments
generally have inadequate tax revenue to
support mandatory items in their
budgets, which have barely been able to
cover wages for teachers and police. The
budgets of regional governments also
are overburdened by pensions.

65. • Russia has multiple political parties,
although only a few are consistently
represented in the Duma
• Most ideologies are represented,
although some more often than others

66. Political Parties
• United Russia: the vehicle of Putin's ideology
• Communist Party: leftist party, remnant of the
Soviets
• Liberal Democratic Party: supports the working-
class, very nationalistic
• Motherland-People's Patriotic Union: in favor of
democracy and morality to form a stronger state
• Union of Right Forces: Pro-market, pro-
democratic reforms

67. Presidential Election
• All citizens at least age 18 are eligible to
vote.
• Presidential elections are contested in two
rounds; if no candidate receives a majority in
the first round, there is a runoff between the
top two candidates.

69. Electoral Rules for State Duma
• Similar to Germany’s hybrid system
• each voter has 2 votes
–1 for a candidate for that district’s seat
–1 for a registered party on the party list
• half of Duma (225 seats) elected from
single-member districts
• half of Duma (225 seats) selected by parties
according to vote share (> 5%)

70. 37.60%
12.60%
11.50%
9%
4.30%
4%
21%
222
51
36
37
43
94
0%
10%
20%
30%
40%
50%
60%
70%
80%
90%
100%
Votes Seats
2003 State Duma Election
others
Union of Right Forces
Yabloko
Rodina
Liberal Democrats
Communists
United Russia

71. Political Culture
• As a whole, citizens in Russia tend to
support a strong leader, which is a remnant
of Soviet style governance
• Any leader who proposes a stronger Russian
state is favoured, hence the majority of
political parties do not favour
democratic/free-market reform

72. Political Culture
• In comparison to American politics, Russian
politics are much more cut-throat.
• It is socially acceptable to run a slander
campaign, so long as the party in power
doesn't feel violated
• The bitter fight stems from the supreme
power that a leader will temporarily wield if
elected

73. Current Policy Issues
Social
 In comparison with their former situation, most
citizens in Russia have more freedoms and live
better under democracy
 Corruption and the income gap still persist,
which essentially undermines any effort by the
government
 People are free to participate in politics, yet
many outsiders worry that representation in
Russia is to some degree fixed

74. Current Policy Issues
• Economic
–Russia struggles to regain its economic
power from its old Soviet days
–Economy has been centralized to a degree
by Putin
–Standards of living have improved with
the introduction of free-market reforms,
but progress is slow

75. Security
• The Russian armed forces consist of an
army, navy, air force (which merged with the
air defense force in 1998), and strategic
rocket force, all under the command of the
president. About half the troops are
conscripts: military service, lasting 18
months for the army or 24 months for the
navy, is compulsory for men over age 18,
although draft evasion is widespread.

76. • During the Cold War the Soviet Union established the
Warsaw Pact (1955), a treaty that was designed to
counter the U.S.-led North Atlantic Treaty
Organization (NATO).
• The Warsaw Treaty Organization was dissolved in
1991.
• By the end of the 1990s Russia and NATO had signed
a cooperation agreement.
• In 2002 the NATO-Russia Council was established to
help develop a consensus on foreign and military
policies.
• In 1991 Russia assumed the Soviet Union's permanent
seat on the United Nations Security Council.

77. ECONOMY

78. • After the collapse of the Soviet Union in
1991, the Russian government implemented
a series of radical reforms designed to
transform the economy from one that was
centrally planned and controlled to one based
on capitalist principles.
• Major components of the reforms included
establishing privately owned industrial and
commercial ventures (using both foreign and
Russian investment) and privatizing state-
owned enterprises.

79. • To encourage privatization, the government
issued vouchers to Russian citizens that
enabled them to purchase of shares in
privatized firms, though in practice these
vouchers frequently were sold for cash and
were accumulated by entrepreneurs.
• The privatization process was slow, however,
and many firms—particularly in the heavy
industries—remained under state ownership.
In addition, there was significant debate
regarding the buying and selling of land.

80. • The reforms beginning in the 1990s
caused considerable hardships for the
average Russian citizen; in the decade
after the dissolution of the Soviet Union,
the Russian economy contracted by more
than two-fifths. The monetary system was
in disarray: the removal of price controls
caused a huge escalation in inflation and
prices; the value of the ruble, the country's
currency, plummeted; and real incomes
fell dramatically.

81. • Conditions began to improve by the mid-1990s,
but the recovery was interrupted in 1998 by a
severe financial crisis, which caused the
government to sharply devalue the ruble.
Numerous banks became insolvent, and
millions of citizens lost their life savings.
• Gradually, corrective measures were
implemented. For example, the licensing of
private banks became more rigorous, and the
government cracked down on tax evasion,
which had been rampant since the
implementation of economic reforms.

82. • To accommodate business growth, taxes on
medium and small enterprises were moderated,
and the government began to offer incentives
for reinvesting profits into the domestic
economy.
• By the early 21st century, the measures had
begun to have a positive effect on the Russian
economy, which showed signs of recovery and
stable growth. Steady earnings from oil exports
permitted investments in factories, and the
devalued currency made Russian goods more
competitive on the international market.

83. • In the post-Soviet years, foreign direct investment
was encouraged, but it was constrained by
unfavourable conditions, including state intervention
in industry, corruption, and weakness in the rule of
law. An upsurge in violence by organized crime
syndicates contributed to hampering Western
investment, and though the activity of such groups
was curtailed in the early 21st century, it still
presented severe obstacles to both Western and
Russian businesses. Investment by non-Russian
companies was also discouraged by moves taken by
the Russian government to increase state ownership in
various industries, including oil and gas, aviation, and
automobile manufacturing.

84. • In addition to the difficulties the country encountered
in its effort to restructure the economy, Russia had
been subjected to serious long-term environmental
degradation during the Soviet period, the full extent
of which became apparent only in the 1990s. The
most visible aspects of this situation—such as the
Chernobyl accident at a nuclear power plant in
Ukraine in 1986, widespread industrial pollution, and
the drastic reduction in the volume of the Aral Sea as
a result of inflow diversions—were only symptomatic
of decades of wasteful resource exploitation. These
environmental concerns placed another burden on
Russia's already overwhelmed economic structure.