Cover; Contents; List of Illustrative Material; Preface; Acknowledgments; PART I: RUSSIA: CONTINUITY AND CHANGE; 1 Studying Russian Government and Politics; Why we study Russia; How we study Russia; Views of Russia and its politics; Critical thinking about Russia; Conclusion; 2 The Roots: The Russian Empire and the Soviet Union; Early Russian states; Russia as an empire; The revolutions; The development of the Soviet state; The Soviet Union during the Cold War; Critical thinking about Russia's history; Conclusion; 3 The Soviet Transformation, 1985-91; The beginning of the transformation. Perestroika and glasnostUnintended consequences; Critical thinking about the Soviet transformation; Conclusion; PART II: INSTITUTIONS AND ELECTIONS; 4 The Executive Branch; Key developments; The president of the Russian Federation; The Government (Cabinet of Ministers) of the Russian Federation; The subjects of the Russian Federation; The transformation of the executive branch; Critical thinking about the executive branch; Conclusion; 5 The Legislative Branch; Key developments; The State Duma; The Federation Council; Critical thinking about the legislative branch; Conclusion. 6 The Judicial Branch and Justice AdministrationKey developments; The Constitutional Court of the Russian Federation; The Supreme Court; The Supreme Arbitration Court; The Russian Criminal Code; The Prosecutor's Office; The Ministry of Justice; Law enforcement: The Ministry for Internal Affairs; Critical thinking about Russia's judicial branch and justice administration; Conclusion; PART III: POLITICAL BEHAVIOR, PARTICIPATION, AND COMMUNICATION; 7 Political Parties; Key developments; On Russian political terminology; Major political parties; Critical thinking about political parties. Conclusion8 Presidential and Parliamentary Elections; Key developments; Parliamentary elections; Presidential elections; Critical thinking about elections in Russia; Conclusion; 9 Political Communications and Mobilization; Key developments; The media today; Strategies of political communication and mobilization; Critical thinking about political communication and mobilization; Conclusion; PART IV: RUSSIAN POLICIES; 10 Economic and Business Policies; Key developments; Government regulation of the economy; Economic strategies; Critical thinking about Russia's economic policies; Conclusion. 11 Social Policies: Health, Education, and HousingKey developments; Government institutions; The National Priority Projects; Critical thinking about social policies; Conclusion; 12 Foreign Policy; A brief review of history and institutions; Key developments; Foreign policy concepts; Regional policies; Critical thinking about foreign policy; Conclusion; 13 Defense and Security Policies; Key developments; The commander in chief; The Defense Ministry of the Russian Federation; Military policies; The Federal Security Service; The External Intelligence Service; Counterterrorism policies.