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Wood Communist and Post-Communist Countries (RU): Key Terms

Terms in this set (83)

Bourgeoisie
a social class that derives social and economic power from employment, education, and wealth; a term for the middle class in the 19th century
BRIC
Brazil, Russia, India, China; all deemed to be at a similar stage of newly advanced economic development
Central Planning
a communist economic system in which the state explicitly allocates resources by planning what should be produced and in what amounts, the final prices of goods, and where they should be sold
The Communist Manifesto
the blueprint for communist governments around the world written by Karl Marx; suggested there would be a social revolution in which the proletariat (working class) would overthrow the bourgeoisie (middle class factory owners) and then set up a classless, socialist community
Co-Optation
the process by which individuals are brought into a beneficial relationship with the state, making them dependent on the state for certain rewards
Democratic Centralism
a form of democracy in which the interests of the masses were discovered through discussion within the Communist party, decisions were then made under central leadership to serve those interests
Maoism
theory of Marxism developed in China by Mao Zedong; states that a continuous revolution is necessary if the leaders of a communist state are to keep in touch with the people
Market-Based Socialism
allows for a significant infusion of capitalism into the communist system
Marxism
the economic and political theories of Karl Marx and Friedrich Engels that hold that human actions and institutions are economically determined and that class struggle is needed to create historical change and that capitalism will untimately be superseded
Marxism-Leninism
the political and economic philosophy of the Bolsheviks; expounded by Vladimir Lenin with some Marxism ideals, which looked to an uprising of the proletariat that would abolish private property and enforce social equality
Nomenklatura
the process of filling influential jobs in the state, society, or the economy with people approved and chosen by the communist party
Proletariat
Marx's term for the exploited class; the mass of workers who do not own the means of production
Social Mobility
movement of individuals or groups from one position in a society's stratification system to another
"Vanguard of the Revolution"
Vladimir Lenin made; argued that the proletariat revolution could occur in a pre-industrial society if stimulated by a small but dedicated group of visionaries
Asymmetric Federalism
a system where power is devolved unequally across the country and its constituent regions; often the result of specific laws negotiated between the region and the central government
Boris Berezovsky
became a rich Oligarch by buying up Russian industries after the fall of Communism and the beginning of "shock therapy." (controlled half of the Russian GDP); exiled by the Russian government
Bolsheviks
a group of revolutionary Russian Marxists who took control of Russia's government in November 1917
Boyars
Russian landholding aristocrats; possessed less political power than their western European counterparts
Catherine the Great
1729-1796; Empress of Russia who greatly increased the territory of the empire (gained warm water in St. Petersburg)
Central Committee
the most important body in a communist party; influence declined as it grew in size and the party needed daily leadership.
Civil Society (RU)
complex network of voluntary associations, economic groups, religious organizations, and many other kinds of groups that exist independently from the government
Collective Farms
government owned farms; workers are paid by government and share profits from products
Collectivization
creation of large, state-run farms rather than individual holdings allows more efficient control over peasants; part of Stalin's economic and political planning and often adopted in other Communist regimes.
Confederation of Independent States
lead by Russia, it unites the fifteen former republics of the Soviet Union; organization has little formal power over its members; Russia constantly questioned by other countries; bound by trade agreements, divided by nationality differences
Conflict in Chechnya
a region in Russia, primarily Muslim, fighting for years for independence and has been involved in terrorist acts, murders, kidnapping, explosions, bombings, ect..; Russia is having trouble holding onto the region
Constitution of 1993
created the publicly-elected office of President, held in check by the Duma; created a three-branch government including a semi-presidential system and a Constitutional Court
Constitutional Court
federal court authorized by Article III of the Constitution that keeps judges in office during good behavior and prevents their salaries from being reduced; they are the Supreme Court (created by the Constitution) and appellate and district courts (created by Congress)
Crimean War
Russian war against Ottomans for control of the Black Sea 1853-1856; intervention by Britain and France cause Russia to lose and Russians realize need to industrialize
Communist Party of the Russian Federation
CPRF; the second-strongest party which emphasizes centralized planning and nationalism, and implies an intention to regain territories lost when the Soviet Union broke apart.
Cultural Heterogeneity (RU)
cultures and ethnic groups are mixed within a region; there are many ethnicities in Russia but 80% of the population is Russian dominated
Decembrist Revolt
Alexander I died in 1825 and restless groups in Russian army supported Constantine as Tsar over Nicholas I and Proclaimed him tsar at St. Petersburg; wanted Constantine and constitution, but Constantine had declared in favor of Nicholas; first modern revolutionary movement in Russia
Decrees
an official order issued by a legal authority
Democratic Centralism
a form of democracy in which the interests of the masses were discovered through discussion within the Communist party, and then decisions were made under central leadership to serve those interests
De-Stalinization
social process of neutralizing the influence of Joseph Stalin by revising his policies and removing monuments dedicated to him and renaming places named in his honor
Duma
the elected parliament; through establishing this, it seemed as if the Czar was giving his people power, in reality he could easily get rid of this if they made any laws or such that he didn't like.
Equality of Result (RU)
the objective of policies intended to reduce or eliminate the effects of discrimination so that members of traditionally disadvantaged groups will have the same benefits of society as do members of advantaged groups
Federal Government Structure
Russian Federation; the current regime consists of eighty-nine regions, each of which are bound to the Federation by treaty with most of these regions are called "republics' and rule themselves independently
Federation Council
the 178-seat upper house of Russia; holds relatively little power and represents local interests and must approve bills that involve certain issues; can reject Duma legislation, but only within certain parameters
Five Year Plans
Plans introduced by Joseph Stalin to industrialize the Soviet Union rapidly beginning 1928; set goals for the output of steel, electricity, machinery, and most other products and were enforced by the police powers of the state
General Security
a consultative body of the Russian President that works out the President's decisions on national security affairs
Glasnost
policy of SU leader Mikhail Gorbachev which called for more openness with the nations of West, and a relaxing of restraints on Soviet citizenry
Mikhail Gorbachev
head of the SU 1985-1991; his liberalization effort improved relations with the West, but he lost power after his reforms led to the collapse of Communist governments in eastern Europe
Gorbachev's Three-Pronged Reform Plan
Perestroika: economic restructuring of the economy of the SU; Glasnost: transparency and freedom of speech and the press (ending SU censoring); Democratization: introduction of democratic elections and deliberation in the SU government
Gosplan
economic policy developed by Khrushchev in which he planned to shift the nation's resources to consumer goods to prove communism was superior to capitalism by improving the Soviet standard of living
Head of Government
executive role that deals with the everyday tasks of running the state
Head of State
executive role that symbolizes and represents the people both nationally and internationally
Nikita Khrushchev
Soviet leader during the Cuban Missile Crisis; also famous for denouncing Stalin and allowed criticism of Stalin within Russia
Kulaks
rich peasants in the Russian Empire who owned larger farms and used hired labour; their own class
Alexander Lebed
a prominent former general who gathered a following before the 1996 election; had to be courted by Yeltsin so that Boris could remain President
V.I. Lenin
the Bolshevik leader who made the Marxist revolution in November 1917 and modified orthodox Marxism in doing so by not following Marx's theory of social revolution (Marxism-Leninism)
Liberal Democrats
the neofascist and racist opposition party led by Vladimir Zhirinovsky
Mafia
a term borrowed from Italy; describes networks of organized criminal activity that pervade both economic and governmental securities in that country as well as activities
Dmitri Medvedev
elected president in 2008 after Putin (who served 2 consecutive terms); Medvedev then selected Putin as his Prime Minister
Mensheviks
1903 by Martov, after dispute with Lenin; party opposing the Bolsheviks wanting a democratic party with mass membership
Nationality
identity with a group of people that share legal attachment and personal allegiance to a particular place as a result of being born there
Near Abroad
Russian term to describe the other fourteen republics of the former SU
New Economic Policy
Lenin's economy reform that re-established economic freedom in an attempt to build agriculture and industry
Oligarchy
a government in which the power to rule is held by a small, usually self-appointed elite.
Patriots of Russia
2011; party of "statists" and "patriots" that aims to build a "great and prosperous" Russia, but often thought of as a foil to the Communist Party and a Kremlin product
Perestroika
policy initiated by Mikhail Gorbachev involving restructure of the social and economic status quo in communist Russia towards a market based economy and society
Peter the Great
Russian tsar; introduced Western languages and technologies to the Russian elite, moving the capital from Moscow to the new city of St. Petersburg
Politburo
a seven-member committee that became the leading policy-making body of the Communist Party in Russia
Presidential-Parliamentary System
an elected president is chief executive and a prime minister leads the government
Proportional Representation (RU)
An election system in which each party running receives the proportion of legislative seats corresponding to its proportion of the vote.
Vladimir Putin
elected president of Russia 2000; launched reforms aimed at boosting growth and budget revenues and keeping Russia on a strong economic track
Red Army
Russian army that retaliated from Hitler's reign in the SU; in return they destroyed everything
White Army
Russian Civil War 1918-1921; Whites were against the Communists (SRs, Menshiks, Kadets, and Czarists)
Russian Orthodox Church
Russian form of Christianity imported from Byzantine Empire and combined with local religion; supported the Tsar
Secret Speech
a report by soviet leader Nikita Khrushchev, which criticized Stalin particularly for the purges of the military and the upper Party and the development of Stalin's personality cult; main ideal was to maintain the support of Lenin communists
"Shock Therapy"
an economic program implemented in Russia by Boris Yeltsin in the 1990s; involved an abrupt shift from a command economy to a free-market economy
Slavophile vs. Westernizer
conflicting set of political traditions as a major source of problems for russia; "Slavs" tradition led to a pride in slavic customs, language, religion, and history that causes Russia to resist outside influence
Stalinism
Stalin's government system that was acheived in the name of Communism but was more like totalitarianism; benefited only government and relied on terror tactics, secret police, bogus trials and assassination
State Corporatism
a political system in which the state requires all members of a particular economic sector to join an officially designated interest group; resulting in the state gaining substantial control over interest groups and interest groups channel or control their members' political and economic advocacy
Statism (RU)
the idea that the rights of the nation are supreme over the rights of the individuals who make up the nation
Totalitarianism
form of government in which the ruler is an absolute dictator (not restricted by a constitution or laws or opposition etc.)
Tsars
A Russian term for "Caesar" or ruler; the authoritarian rulers of the Russian empire before its collapse in the 1917 revolution
United Russia Party
political party by the oligarchs of Russia to support Putin; currently the dominant party in Russian politics, although it lacks a coherent ideology
"Window on the West"
St. Petersburg on newly acquired lands; Baltic Sea warm water gain which was important for Russia
Yobloko
one of the reformist parties which stands for pro-democracy and it's in risk of disappearing; lost all single-member-district seats as for 2007
Boris Yeltsin
the first President of the Russian Federation 1991-1999; Yeltsin era was a traumatic period in Russian history marked by widespread corruption, economic collapse, and enormous political and social problems
Zemstvas
1864; the base of rural self-government in the Russian Empire and Ukraine that was established to provide social and economic services and became a significant liberal influence within imperial Russia
Vladimir Zhirinovsky
leader of the Liberal Democratic Party of Russia; argued for ultranationalist solutions to face postcommunist problems and envisioned the expansion of Russia to the Indian Ocean
Gennady Zyuganov
leader of the Communist Party of the Russian Federation (CPRF); lost 1996 & 2000 elections
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