Saturday Review 2 Russia, China and UK

Measuring economies and States GDP – equal to market value of goods and services – most widely used measure of the size of the economy HDI – Human Development Index – statistic based upon life expectancy, education, and income data - combining social welfare and economic data = a more meaningful comparisons between countries than GDP Gini - accounts for income distribution - measure of inequality – higher #s indicate greater economic inequality Freedom House – NGO that conducts research – Higher the number the less free (Russia/11 and China/13 are categorized as not free)

Democracization and Liberalization Economic Liberalization Democracy Liberal Democracy Substansive Democracy Procedural Democracy Illiberal Democracy Authoritarian Democratic Centralism

Electoral Systems SMD/FPTP/Winner Take All/Plurality Majoritarian Proportional Representation Multimember Districts (MMD) Hybrid Electoral Systems

Russia … Powers Powers of the President … Head of State- “guarantor of the constitution”, nomination power (including Prime Minister), law power (initiate, sign, veto), reject vote of no confidence, issue (decrees, executive orders, and referenda), lead foreign policy Powers of the Duma …Passes/reject laws, Approves/reject Prime Minister, impeachment, vote of no confidence Powers of Federation Council… Impeachment, Ratifies (boundaries, military, martial law, state of emergency), approves Presidential appointments to courts, delay laws

Russia … Checks Federation Council’s Checks on President – Impeachment, delay legislation (only the Duma can override), reject/confirm judicial appointments President’s Checks on the Duma and Federation Council – dissolve Duma, veto laws, reject call for a vote of no confidence, issue decrees and executive orders, referenda, appointments Duma’s Checks on the President – vote of no confidence, impeachment, reject laws, reject/confirm Prime Minister

Russia Executive – 6 yr term – two-ballot majoritarian election – if no one gets more than 50% a 2 nd round of voting is held (top 2 compete) *United Russia dominates Nomenklatura/ Patron-clientelism Legislative – Federal Assembly/bicameral Federation Council- represents local-little power- can delay leg., consent to appointment of judges State Duma-was SMD and PR NOW PR (power of United Russia/don’t forget 7% threshold)

Vote of no confidence in Russia=Pres holds all the cards Duma can pass a resolution of no confidence ---President can reject it If the Duma passes a 2 nd no confidence resolution within 3 months then the President must replace the government or dissolve the Duma and call for new elections (What member of the Duma wants to go thru that?????) Russian President almost always achieves his policy agenda

Russia Executive – shared by a popularly elected president and presidentially appointed premier; policies made by legislature and president Legislative – Bicameral – Duma/lower is elected proportionally (7% threshold to win seats) - -- Federal Council/upper is appointed to represent local govt (delaying power is about it) --- United Russia has become dominant Separation of powers – hybrid Presidential/Parliamentary … Assymetrical Federalism ---- Hybrid Regime (elements that are democratic and authoritarian)--- illiberal democracy Judiciary – Supreme Court and lower courts – Constitutional Court considers contradictions to the constitution and limited ability to negate statues (potential for limited Judicial Review)- inquisitorial (model) and civil (based on statutes)---Rule of Law=has become limited due to Putin/UR … loss of transparency --- commercial law is more transparent however, govt ownership of major corps and media is lessening transparency---- Judicial Review- can be appealed but only the Constitutional Court can overrule the legislature or executive policies extremely limited Judicial Independence – no …. Legislature can appoint and remove judges --- courts do not challenge the president Constitutional separation of powers BUT dominance of Putin/UR – control by UR negates some of the checks and balances 1 party dominant---President elected by majority in 2-round – Duma elected by party list proportional system and Federal Council appointed by local govt

Russia Cleavages – Nationality and religious (especially in the Southern/Caucus region) – Urban vs. Rural and Social class Civil Society – freer than under the USSR but since 2003 limitations on groups connected to international organizations have been persecuted … lobbying is risky especially when it opposes govt.--- interest group = becoming state corporatism Nomenklatura -slivoki Social Movements – Since 1993 there have been small scale movements (environmental, human rights, etc.) with the help from international NGOs but there has been govt opposition – govt has cut links between domestic groups and international NGOs Rentier Status – when a country’s govt relies on the sale/rent of natural resources for a large portion/most of its revenue --- Some put Russia in this category Transparency – history of bribery=political culture, citizens believe the govt is corrupt, multinational companies are discouraged from investing, integration of politics and business encourages corruption

China…Dual Role…Parallel Hierarchy.. Dual role – party oversees itself and the government Vertical supervision next higher level of government --- horizontal supervision by the CCP Parallel hierarchy – government is parallel to CCP BUT Party TRUMPS all Policymaking directly influenced by Factions – guanxi No checks and balances Controlled by the party NOT independent

People’s Republic of China…Dual and Parallel CCP Standing Committee – 7 including General Secretary – most powerful – chosen by Politburo Politburo – 25 including the 7 above- chosen by Standing Committee – oversees the CCP Central Committee – approx 200 – 1 week for 5 yrs-chosen by NPC-carry out business- plenums=decisions announced here Natl Party Congress – approx chosen by lower level every 5 yrs- approve party decisions already made Provincial Local village Government Legislature-Natl People’s Congress- unicameral- 2 wks once a yr – RUBBER STAMP-amendments, pass laws, appoint officials (rarely does leg. NOT pass), announce Politburo’s decisions Executive Judicial

The rest of the Chinese Govt Executive – President -Head of State no powers of its own UNLESS also General Secretary – Premier – Head of Govt – Appointed by the Pres. – also a member of the *Standing Committee oversees State Council *State Council- Cabinet ministers who direct bureaucracy *Bureaucracy- cadres (people) *Provincial *Local *village Judicial No Judicial Review Rule of law in commercial cases – encourage investment – Rule of law is acknowledged – bind behavior and all equally subjected but not always applied Courts on every level Civil law No Judicial Independence

China Executive – Premier named by president and national legislature= H of G ---- President is the H of S and often head of CCP and its Politiburo Standing Committee= all significant policy decisions are made Legislative – Unicameral – National People’s Congress (3,000 members) – legislators are chosen by provincial legislatures (with CCP approval) --- NPC approves policies from the Central Committee (very rarely do they say no) Fusion – real power lies with the politiburo Judicial – Supreme People’s Court is the top appellate --- Civil Law and inquisitorial ---Rule of law = rule of CCP – Courts hold secret sessions, more in commercial law (but still guanxi patron-client system) ---- Judicial Review only in terms of lower court rulings/laws and policies approved by NPC are not reviewable! No Judicial Review of the other branches Judicial independence – no – National People’s Congress has power to determine if laws are constitutional = Politiburo/CCP really decides Constitutional separation of powers ….BUT/AND fusion of power with the CCP (Dual Role) 1 party system– Pres and leg. Chosen by indirect methods at the direction of the CCP

China Cleavages – Urban vs. Rural most important – Social Class ---over 90% Han, which when geography is added to ethnicity they become reinforcing cleavages (political conflict results in places like Tibet and Xinjiang) Civil Society – very limited – CCP/govt go toG great lengths to be in control … businesses have some exceptions but foreign businesses most allow official unions and party cadres to keep tabs … state corporatism Guanxi patron-clientelism - nomenklatura Social Movements – CCP and govt maintain the only legitimate political activity --- Falu Gong is a religious/social movement that has been harshly suppressed – activists campaigning for environmental or human rights causes are routinely kept under surveillance and often arrested Transparency – bribery and embezzlement is common, integration of politics and business = corruption, rapidly growing economy =inequalities = corruption

Political Parties Russia – United Russia (Putin), Communist Party (Zyuganov), Liberal Democrats (Zhirinovsky-nationalism), Fair Russia (Mironov) = 1 Party Dominant China – CCP Dominated (even in the Constitution) Britain – Labour (poor, liberal), Conservative (rich, rightist), Liberal Democrats (Centrist)= 2 Party System although other parties exist = to be exact currently a Coalition government Mexico Iran Nigeria

Electoral Systems Russia- President elected by majority in 2 round system, Duma by PR, Federal Council appointed by local govt – 1 Party Dominant China – Indirect methods at the direction of the CCP – the only example of elections would be at the local level (still controlled by the CCP) Britain – Plurality system in SMD Iran Mexico Nigeria

Constitution Russia- 1990s China – 1982, power to the CCP = Unitary Britain – none but governs by tradition Mexico Iran Nigeria

Government Structure Russia – presidential republic, dual executive, Federal but works more as a unitary, sovereign democracy China-democratic centralism – unitary Britain – unitary with devolution (decentralization Welsh Assembly, Scottish Parliament), constitutional monarchy, parliamentary democracy Iran Mexico Nigeria

Modernization Russia – developed, rapid movement to democracy and free market China – move to mixed economy, developing, guanxi Britain – developed Iran Mexico Nigeria

Corruption Russia – black market, mafia China – corruption developed with the mixed market Britain – basically none – individual not systemic Iran Mexico Nigeria

Religion Russia – legal, majority Orthodox Catholic --- cleavage (part of Chechyna) China – atheist, persecutes dangerous religious groups (Buddhists, Falon Gong) – cleavage (Tibet, Uyghurs/Xinjiang- separatists who are predominantly Muslim) Britain – Anglican Church (official) – cleavage (Ireland and immigration) Iran Mexico Nigeria

Cleavages Russia – socioeconomic lesser (oligarchs/elites vs. middle class vs. lower class), especially in the southern regions national and religious, western urban/Moscow vs. rest of the country China – urban vs. rural, migration to cities, geographic and national (add a little religion) Tibet, and Xinjiang/Uyghurs=Separatists, Hong Kong (Democracy- open elections) Britain – Social Class (nobility vs. working class, noblesse oblige), Geographic coinciding with ethnicity/national, some religious Iran Mexico Nigeria

Executive Russia – PM is Head of Government, President is Head of State China – Premier is Head of Government, President is Head of State Britain – PM is Head of Government, Queen is Head of State Iran Mexico Nigeria

Legislative Russia – Duma dominates, Federation Council has very little power-Presidential/Congressional system China – unicameral, true authority with CCP, CCP Standing Committee- Presidential System with the Head of Government elected by the Natl Party Congress (Communist Party nominee) Britain – House of Commons with all power, House of Lords with no power – Parliamentary System, Head of Govt. is chosen by the Commons majority Iran Mexico Nigeria

Judicial Russia – Constitutional Court for Judicial Review, Supreme Court for criminal and civil cases, code of law China – Supreme People’s Court, Code law, recent reforms give more autonomy to courts Britain – Supreme Court, common law Iran Mexico Nigeria

Rule of Law Russia – Exists but as Putin’s dominance increases so does Rule of Law decrease – lacks transparency – political opponents of those in power are regularly harassed and jailed – government ownership of major corporations and media hurts rule of law China – Replaced by rule of the CCP – courts hold secret and not-public sessions – a little more rule of law when dealing with business – guanxi patron-client system Britain – Precedents replace a written constitution – strong rule of law Iran Mexico Nigeria

Power Distribution Russia – Constitutional separation of powers – BUT Dominance of Putin and United Russia China – Constitutional separation of powers AND the fusion of the Communist Party --- Dual Power where the CCP TRUMPS ALL Britain – FUSION of power – Executive is chosen by and is part of the legislature --- New Supreme Court, which can nullify Parliamentary laws on statutory basis …. Handles only human rights cases under EU treaties Iran Mexico Nigeria

Economy Russia – Command to Market, weak since it depends on oil prices ---- Structural Adjustment Program China – command to mix Britain – mixed, Thatcher privatization, Blair’s Third Way, oil is NOT important Iran Mexico Nigeria

Civil Society – how citizens organize and define themselves and their interests Russia – Better than under USSR but not completely free --- groups with connections to international NGOs have prosecuted and persecuted and limited … if in opposition to government often stopped – media has come under the power of the government (govt. owns portions of the companies) China – virtually no independent civil society exists – they only exception are those involving businesses – foreign NGOs are closely monitored and often excluded Britain – open and nearly unfettered by the govt. except in cases of terrorism – groups are free to lobby, Unions are important

Recruitment Russia – Nomenklatura – many have close associations with the internal security services and the administration of state- owned enterprises, and even former KGB – Technocrats are moving up – all have links to patrons – Patron-clientelism (just not formal) China – Patron-Clientelism and guanxi --- CCP connections Britain – elites come from well-educated and wealthy backgrounds – many from the universities like Oxford Iran Mexico Nigeria