Representation and Participation Russia, Section 4

Society and Politics Civil society: an autonomous sphere of social life that could act on the state without being dependent on it. Putin's approval rating in 2000: 65% to 70%

The Legislature: the Federal Assembly Started on December 12, 1993 Federation Council (upper house) and Duma (lower house) Conflict between Yeltsin and legislative branch Separation between people and factions Internal decision-making is generally elite- dominated. Deputies have immunity from criminal prosecution

The Duma Factions unite deputies from the same or allied parties A council with 11 members and 33 committees Current chairman is Sergey Naryshkin United Russia: 238 seats CPRF: 92 seats A Just Russia: 64 seats Liberal Democratic Party: 56 seats

The Federation Council 166 councillors; two members from each of Russia's 83 regions and republics One councillor elected by the provincial legislature, one nominated by governor In some cases, the posts may be granted in exchange for political loyalty Current chairwoman is Valentina Matviyenko

Russia's Parties and Party System Multiple-party system First competitive elections: November 1989 Conditions for parties: must have 50,000 members, at least 500 in half of Russia's regions Three reasons for instability: formed around prominent leaders; young; unclear how parties are supposed to help Russians.

United Russia Centrist Led by Dmitry Medvedev (previously led by Putin) 49% popularity in 2011 elections Unite the different political forces in the country, eliminate class or age differences, and have the economy combine state regulation and market freedoms

A Just Russia Social Democratic, Centrist Led by Nikolai Levichev Nikolai Levichev Fairness, freedom, solidarity; wants to form a welfare state but does not want a return to Soviet bureaucratic socialism

Communist Party of the Russian Federation (CPRF) Russian Left Led by a central committee headed by Gennady Zyuganov 20% of the seats in the Duma Build a renewed socialism of the 21st century

Liberal Democratic Party of Russia (LDPR) Nationalist Patriotic (far-right) Led by Vladimir Zhrinovsky 11% of the vote in Duma Favors a mixed economy with private ownership and a strong management role reserved for the state.

Right Cause Center-right Liberal/Reform formerly the Union of Rightist Forces Received 3% popular support in 2011 Liberal free market economy, democracy, and protecting the rights of the middle class

Yabloko (Russian United Democrat Party) Center-left Social Liberal Led by Sergey Mitrokhin Yabloko had 3% of the votes in the Duma 2008 Wants greater freedom and civil liberties in Russia, more integration with the West, better relations with US and membership in the EU

Elections 60-70% voter turnout Proportional representation: political parties are given legislative representation in proportion to their popular vote Decrease in support for opposition parties No real transfer of power Presidential elections held every 6 years

Attitude Toward Government -endured from Tsarist regime personalistic authority centralized power authoritative source of truth -traditional Russian values egalitarianism collectivism glorification of science, technology

The Russian People's Position "imported" culture - Western political and economic ideology that filled the vacuum that was left when Russia rejected the values of the Soviet Union Wide Russian support for: independent judiciary free press competitive elections Rights vs Order?

Freedom of Information? Soviet period: propaganda in education, news media etc. Now: education and print media embody range of ideas electronic media does not

Ethnicity in Russia russkii - a person of Russian descent Rossiiskii - a Russian citizen Government Representation Diversifying

Religion Majority of people are Russian Orthodox The Soviet Union was the first state to be ideologically atheist.

Gender Women's "triple burden" wife, mother, work declining birth rate said to be due to poor QOL, not economic modernization Putin raised child support and monetary bonus for second child permissive cultural environment: rising rates of prostitution and HIV/AIDS

Classes in Society postcommunism: people are skeptical of political parties representing the working class CPFR is "true to the interests of working people" Labor solidarity has remained: Federation of Independent Trade Unions recent strikes are short; unions do not have the power they had

Rise of Social and Economic Groups NGOs - nongovernmental organizations Civic Forum Congress of NGOs efforts to restrict public protest by police sparked political group "The Other Russia" to hold a conference to draw attention to these efforts "Marchs of Dissent" present right to free speech in Russia is still shifting