Sunday, February 22, 2009

Friday's Notes

Class Notes for Friday The 2oth

Polictical Parties.
-old S.U-1 party system-communist party
-policy making at highes levels (oligarchy-small group at top= Polit Buro)

Russia
-had weak politcal party systsem
-under Yeltsin:Newly formed parties won seats
-major clashes between them, Yeltsin had to get parliament dissolved
-1995-42 parties trying to get seats in Duma
-oonly four of them got enough percentage to get seats

1999-26 parties competing
-new party named Unity (formed around personality of P.M Putin)
-showed strength, no real platform

2003: disapperence of small democratic parties
-23 parties ran, communist party was the only "real party"
2003:new party: United Russia-merge of Unity and Fatherland All Russia
-was kinda like old Unity party (no real platform)

2003: Motherland appears (Nationalist)
-approved by Putin, tried to split communist vote
-platform attacked oligarchs
-favored re-nationalizing

Only these 4 won seats:
1. United Russia-37% of vote
2. Communist-12.7%
3.Liberal Democractic Party-11.6%
-Zhirinovsky-build aroud him
-party was torn up by loss of stature
4.Motherland
-tolerated by Putin
(Yubloko still around-4.3%-doesnt make five percent cut of vote)

2007-Only four parties make 7%cut
-United Russia 315/450 seats
enough for 2/3rd vote to amend constitution
-Communist Party-57 seats
-Liberal Dem- 40 seats
-Fair Russis (new party, Putin controls) 38 seats

All form around one personality
-when it fades, party fades
because of this called
Floating Party System- parites based on persoanlity come and go.
-party system still weak, floating

Platforms today
1.communist-farthest left
-redirect economic reforms
-more govt protection for industry
-slow down privitazation
-2nd largest
2. United Russia-Putin:lleader
-was product of merge
-had no platform
-unclear future platform, Medvedev Putins choice
-Party of power-existed mainly to keep putin in power
-origin: thought orginal oligarchs Boris. and other were Yeltsin supporters and wanted a party to outlive Yeltsin.
-centers around Putin
3. Fair Russia
-2006 (split comm. party vote)
-Jr. partner with united Russia
-merger of 3 small parties including Motherland
-went after oligarchs
4. Liberal Dems.
-calling for radical changes
-opposed to reforms
-still around not as strong

Constitution
-old S.U had constituion
declared dominant role of comm. party being "leading and guiding force of society"
-operated to principle
-democractic centralism-decisions were to be made by consensus in party after discussion of all other members-accept it and carry it out. but decisions were made at the top
-1988 Gorb. wants to change it by constituion/industrial restructuring
-new political office-President was made

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