Russia's Political Landscape Analysis

Russia’s modern political landscape is as much a product of its past as it is of its present. Throughout history, Russia has undergone numerous societal and political transformations. The Eastern Slavs were and are the most significant ethnic and linguistic group of people in Russia and the surrounding countries.1 The Russian Slavs were traditionally regarded as a part of the remote eastern world and for centuries existed in isolation from Europe. During this time, an autocratic system of rule and strict control by the state became prominent, making way for Russia’s Tsarist institution.2 The first notable reform Russia experienced occurred in the late 1700s under Tsar Peter the Great who essentially westernized Russian society and through …show more content…
After the Russian Revolution that abolished the Tsarist autocracy and Stalin’s ascent to power, a civil war between Russia’s newly founded Red Army and the anti-communist White Russian group occurred. The White Russians were aided by Britain, France, and the United States further solidifying Russia’s inherent opposition yet consistent involvement with the Western world which is further demonstrated throughout the Cold War.5 The Soviet Union’s collapse in 1991 is considerably responsible for Russia’s current political upheaval. In the aftermath of the Soviet Union, Russia’s civil society proved virtually non-existent.6 As the previously communistic institutions were dismantled to make way for a more democratized regime, the Russian state faced a lack of structure and oligarchs assumed power, resulting in Russia’s present, highly regulated authoritarian …show more content…
Authoritarianism pervades the political mindset of the Russian people, creating a country with a passive majority.15 Moreover, Russia’s inert political culture is a direct result of the state’s authoritarian regime and inherited Soviet era mentality of governmental subjugation and distrust.16 The Russian state essentially failed to evolve after the collapse of the Soviet Union and as the country remains deeply rooted in the authoritarian tradition, “people are not used to democratic (participatory) behaviors, such as welcoming pluralism in thinking and behaving, tolerating dissent and supporting seemingly less efficient methods of democratic decision making. They do not easily see the advantages of debate and non-conformity and not deferring to a class of superiors.”17 Effectively, Russia’s authoritarian nation is centered on governmental security and order, and the state is supported by a political culture that provides very limited advocacy for democratic values.18 However, the Kremlin-opposition protests in 2011/2012 due to electoral fraud in the Vladimir Putin’s presidential election and continued protests in Moscow perhaps demonstrate that Russia’s political culture may be moving in a more democratized, or at least modernized, direction.