HIST 236 Lecture Notes - Lecture 28: Vladimir Putin, Civil Society, Personal Rule
19 Jun 2018
School
Department
Course
Professor
Vladimir Putin
Putin is ethically Russia and coma from Leningrad (now St. Petersburg)
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He worked for the KGB in the 1970s-1980s
He was a field agent in East Germany in the late 1980s
○
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He was a relatively unknown figure in Russian politics when Yeltsin chose him to
be his successor
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Studied law at Leningrad University
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Some have argued his spy background, corruption and relationship to the
oligarchs is essential to understanding his rule, others have argued its his
successes in stabilizing the economy and society in the 1990s
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Putin's Stability Revolution
Putin came in with a reform agenda that resulted in relative increases in living
standards (underwritten by high oil prices/revenue)
The birthrate rose, consumption improved, people were able to go on
holiday abroad, etc.
○
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Corruption remained endemic, but Putin clamed down on the robber-baron
oligarchs, especially ones with political ambitions
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Attacks on Political Opposition
In the name of promoting stability, Putin has not tolerated challenges to his
leadership
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Putin changed the constitution to lengthen the President's term from 4 to 6
years after Medvedev took over for 4 years, Putin was re-elected in 2012 and
again in 2018 (elected in 2008)
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Political opponents have been harassed and arrested
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Russian civil society remains relatively weak and underdeveloped
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Civil society is underdeveloped in Russia, government has been dismissive of
this notion
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Border Conflicts
After the Chechen conflict spilled into the Russia heartland and terrorist attacks
in Moscow and Beslan, Putin made a deal with Kadyrovs to contain the situation
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Russia annexed territory in Abkhazia and Ossetia in 2008 after the war with
Georgia; these are now frozen conflicts
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Russia annexed the Crimean peninsula in 2014 during the Euromaidan crisis in
Ukraine
This has brought Russia into conflict with the international community
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Russia has authoritarian personal rule in the 20th century
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Lecture 28 -Putin's Russia
Monday, April 16, 2018
11:31 AM
Document Summary
Putin is ethically russia and coma from leningrad (now st. petersburg) He worked for the kgb in the 1970s-1980s. He was a field agent in east germany in the late 1980s. He was a relatively unknown figure in russian politics when yeltsin chose him to be his successor. Some have argued his spy background, corruption and relationship to the oligarchs is essential to understanding his rule, others have argued its his successes in stabilizing the economy and society in the 1990s. Putin came in with a reform agenda that resulted in relative increases in living standards (underwritten by high oil prices/revenue) The birthrate rose, consumption improved, people were able to go on holiday abroad, etc. Corruption remained endemic, but putin clamed down on the robber-baron oligarchs, especially ones with political ambitions. In the name of promoting stability, putin has not tolerated challenges to his leadership.
