Case study 1

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University Of Connecticut *

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6203

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Political Science

Date

Oct 30, 2023

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docx

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Uploaded by ProfDugong7683

Michael Campagnuolo 1. Russia has seen exceptionally dramatic swings in the claims to legitimacy of its different regimes. What impact might that have on the strength of the state? These changes in claims to legitimacy also create swings in the strength of state. Under the short rule of Tsar Alexander Russia saw a great democracy form in which industrialization and Russian cities grew. However, this regime only lasted a short while. The next major shift in power occurred after World War I. Russia saw an economic depression that was only worsened by their involvement in the war. However, in 1917, the Communists assassinated the tsar and rose to power. With a massive amount of human life lost, Russia was able to industrialize under the rule of Joseph Stalin. Stalin stabilized the economy and was able to build a military presence that would rival the world’s best militaries. The Soviets met a swift decline as they could not keep up with the rapid industrialization of the United States. Gorbachev was the acting leader and was trying to keep Russia afloat. However, the weak state of Russia justified a military coup against Gorbachev in 1991. With this, Boris Yeltsin took over and officially announced the end of the Soviet Union. This split the Soviet Union into 15 separate countries with Russia being the largest in both size, and influence. After Yeltsin came Vladimir Putin, who we see in power today. Although he is making questionable decisions now regarding Ukraine, he has generally kept quiet and maintained a good economy and strong state. 2. What explains the unusual combination of great external sovereignty versus weaker internal strength in the Russian case? Before even looking into their actual government, Russia on a map is very large. This large perspective that people have of Russia allows them to maintain an image of strength. When speaking about government, Russia has always maintained a good military. Especially during the years of the Soviet Union, their military was at its peak. This allowed them to maintain a strong sphere of influence through fear. However, the atrocities that were going on within the country contributed to their weak internal strength. Stalin’s use of the KGB and labor camps was the reason for millions of deaths during his reign. They ruled trough fear and the communist system was not the greatest for the overall economy of Russia. However, this great military force allowed the to maintain relations outside the country despite the turmoil within it. The Soviet Union were seen as a great ally during World War I. Many say the biggest reason that Hitler and Germany lost was because of the Russian stand during Operation Barbarossa. Their power also allowed to grab part of the German capital at the end of the war. Putin continues to maintain the combination of great external sovereignty versus weaker internal strength. Russia annexed the Crimean Peninsula under Putin and are seen in many of the world’s greatest alliances. However, the Russian state continues to display quality of life and human rights issues which cause issues internally.

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