pgs 177-192

• Contradictory political culture- wanted democratic principles but liked having a strong state and powerful political leaders
• Cleavages- social cleavages- nationality, social class, rural/urban divisions
• Nationality- 80% were Russian, 20% other nationalities that made the autonomous regions, republics, and federations of Russia, with borders based on ethnicity
• Regions wanted independence but also benefits of the Russian government by staying in the federation
• Chechnya- muslim region that's wanted its freedom for years, russia has fought to keep the region, but pushback from them for a while
• Religion- tsarist russia was orthodox- tsar served as spiritual head of church
• No other religion was allowed, therefore all other religions died off
• Small percentages like catholics, protestants, jewish, muslims, etc are represented
• Social class- soviets tried to destroy social classes, peasant distinction was abolished but communist/not was established
• The nomenklatura was blind to the economics of the country
• Modern Russia has new socioeconomic classes based on the new market economy like entrepreneurship
• rural/urban- industrialization leads to an increasing urban population.
• City Russians are better educated and in touch with western culture than rural russians
• Beliefs and attitudes- communism drove the beliefs and attitudes towards their government
• Marxism was the heart of the beliefs, predicting the downfall of the capitalist west
• In turn helped russian nationalism and supported the russian government's failure
• Stalinism brought a return of tendencies of absolutism and repression
• Mistrust of the government- polls show people like democratic ideals more, but they do not trust the government to carry those ideals out
• Statism- russian citizens don't trust the government, but they still expect the state to actively be in their lives
• Economic beliefs- parties and electoral beliefs support the market transition
• Some people also believe in rapid market reform, such as privatization and limited government regulation (shock therapy)
• Westernization- slavophile vs westener was
• Slavophile emphasizes nationalism and the defense of slavic culture and russian interests vs
• Westerner emphasizes integration of russia into the world economy and global trade
• Russians voted 100% during the 20th century rule of the USSR
• However, elections weren’t competitive until Gorbachev brought reforms and a new political party to vote for
• protests were organized to criticize the government’s economic policies after the recession in 2008
• The Communist Party of the Russian Federation emphasizes centralized planning and nationalism.
• Voter turnout in Russia has been high during the Russian Federation era.
• Only about 1% of Russians belong to a political party.
• Linkage institutions in Russia are weak, harming the establishment of democracy.
• Liberal Democrats, headed by Vladimir Zhirinovsky, have extreme nationalist positions and won 37 of 450 seats in 2003.
• The Communist Party of the Russian Federation is the strongest party in Duma, with 157 of 450 seats.
• Measures to force regions into signing with the Russian Federation include creating super districts, which encompass all of Russia, and removing governors.
• A Just Russia was formed by a merge of Motherland People’s Patriotic Union and Party of Pensioners and Party of Life.
• The protests against Putin's presidential candidacy were organized to criticize Russia's involvement in Ukraine during the crisis.
• Elimination of single member districts seats in the Duma has resulted in a only PR system in Duma being allowed.
• United Russia is the party founded as a merge of Fatherland All-Russia Party and Unity party of Russia.
• A Just Russia is led by Speaker of the Federation Council Sergei Mironov.
• Parties in Russia were pieced together right after the Revolution of 1991, with parties on the ballot by 1993.