Suchergebnisse

The most important achievements in early post-Soviet Russia were the creation of a federal system & the establishment of scheduled elections. However, federalism in Russia substitutes rhetoric for reality with regard to many substantive elements of Western federalism. It is more a decorative ritual than a democratic function. This chapter examines the roots of Russian federalism, as far back as the 11th century, & its development in the post-Soviet era. It is concluded that Vladimir Putin does not want a system of political pluralism or development of grassroots parties. His vision for Russia is one of a vertical, not horizontal, chain of command, with a strong national police presence in control at the regional level. Figures. J. Stanton

Too often, observers of the status of democracy in today's Russia look only at the national level, failing to assess the situation in the many regions beyond that of Moscow. It is contended that the 87 other regions are fundamentally different from the center -- Moscow. Further, they differ from each other, yet very little research focuses on cross-regional political trends, despite many regions' size & importance from an international perspective. A comprehensive analysis of political transition in Russia's regions would be of immense value to assessment of the political development & democratization of the country as a whole. This chapter attempts to systematically examine regional variation in terms of the dynamics of democratization. Tables. J. Stanton

Russian President Vladimir Putin has made federal reform one of his key priorities, and his first serious action, taken just a couple of days after his inauguration, was the introduction of a new system of seven enlarged federal districts. In five cases, the presidential envoys appointed to these districts were generals, who hand-picked their deputies and staff mostly from the ranks. The majority of the chief federal inspectors in the regions also come from established `power structures'. In this article, the seven federal districts are described, and an analysis is made of the essence of the reform, the way it is proceeding, its effectiveness, and its future prospects. The forceful start of the federal reform in 2000 noticeably reduced the development of regional trends in Russia and strengthened central control; however, in 2001 the reform lost much of its dynamism, and the need for the new level of territorial organization remains questionable. It is argued that, whatever the Kremlin's initial plans and words, what is really happening is the insertion of police-state mechanisms into a delegative and declarative democratic state.