Yabloko: A New Political Course
Most western observers put substantial hope in Yabloko during the 1990s. Yabloko was an early, strongly pro-West, pro-democracy party that also strongly opposed Yeltsin’s administration….
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A Just Russia: Manifesto for 2011
A Just Russia was formed in 2006 from a merger between three parties. The first, a nationalist party called “Rodina” (Fatherland) had won 9% of…
The Communist Platform and View of Post-Soviet History
Have you ever wondered how a Communist might write the history of the fall of the Soviet Union? While history is usually written by the…
The Russian Far East: Gateway to Asia
Constituting over one-third of Russia’s territory, home to major natural resource deposits, and essential to maintaining increasingly valuable Asian trade routes, the Far East Federal…
How to Become a Communist
The Communist Party of the Russian Federation (CPRF) is generally acknowledged as being the successor of the Communist Party of the Soviet Union (CPSU), which…
Parnas: The People’s Freedom Party
The People’s Freedom Party, also known as “Parnas,” was founded on September 16, 2010. It is a coalition of four organizations: Russian People’s Democratic Union;…
Tatarstan: Semiautonomous and Thriving
Tatarstan is a semiautonomous republic within Russia, located about 500 miles east of Moscow. Roughly the size of West Virginia, but with nearly twice the…
Nashi: Russian Youth Movement
Nashi is by far Russia’s best-known political youth movement. Founded in 2005 shortly after the Orange Revolution in Ukraine, the group is against “those who…
Declaration Of The Formation Of The All-Russia People’s Front
Vladimir Putin announced the creation of an “All-Russia People’s Front” at a regional congress of the United Russia party in Volgograd on Friday, May 6,…
An Unfavorable Balance: Government and Human Rights in the Russian Mindset
The following was written as mid-term essay for SRAS’s cultural program in St. Petersburg, “The Russians.” Students were encouraged to draw upon not only the…
United Russia: Election Program, 2011
The following is the pre-election program published by United Russia in preparation for the 2011 Duma elections. While most political parties use the term “Political…
The Soviet Union in Angola: Soviet and African Perspectives on the Failed Socialist Transformation
Africa’s drive for independence came to a head by the 1960s, at the height of the Cold War. It was seen by the Soviet Union…
Talent Development and Economic Growth in Russia
2007 is an exciting time to be involved in Russian business. The ruble has become increasingly more valuable and stable, and the government has emphasized…
Environmental Policy and Politics of Lake Baikal: A review of physical, psychological, and political contexts
Lake Baikal in Siberia has a rich biological and cultural history. It is highly valued for its aesthetic qualities and rich biological diversity. In addition,…
The Pupil of the People: Lev Nikolaevich Tolstoy’s Peasant Schools at Yasnaya Polyana
Count Lev Nikolaevich Tolstoy is best known as the author of some of the world’s most famous literature, specifically the epic novels War and Peace and Anna Karenina. Tolstoy…
Volgograd: History and Myth
A solemn but reverent air of respect hangs over Volgograd. Long a small military garrison, then a rapidly growing center of commerce and transport, Volgograd…
United Russia: Ruling Party (Part III)
(Continued from Part II) United Russia came under fire after the October 2009 regional elections. Despite the sluggish economy and an uptick in public protests…
United Russia: Ruling Party (Part II)
(Continued from Part I) After this, many independents flocked to join the party over the next year, despite Unity having no concrete policy agenda besides…
United Russia: Ruling Party
United Russia was founded in December 2001 primarily as a vehicle to support Vladimir Putin, who had assumed the presidency of Russia after Boris Yeltsin’s…
Right Cause, Wrong Path?
Established in November of 2008, Right Cause (Правое Дело) is one of Russia’s youngest political parties. Right Cause formed from a merger of three smaller…