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Special Interest Groups. STATE CORPORATISM State determines which groups have input in policy making. Either the State controls major industries. OR INSIDER PRIVATIZATION Companies run by men loyal to government (oligarchs loyal to Putin). Russian Oligarchs.
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Special Interest Groups • STATE CORPORATISM • State determines which groups have input in policy making. • Either the State controls major industries. OR • INSIDER PRIVATIZATION • Companies run by men loyal to government (oligarchs loyal to Putin)
Russian Oligarchs • Tycoons that bought state-owned industries at a cheap price when USSR collapsed. • Many oligarchs came from nomenklatura. • Close ties to Yeltsin in 1990s.
Putin and the Oligarchs • Warned them to stay out of politics. • Political challengers were: • Jailed • Fled country • Pro-Putin Oligarchs • Insider Privatization
Mikhail Khodorkovsky • Richest man in Russia • CEO of Yukos Oil Co. • Funded opposition parties • 2003: 8-year sentence for fraud and tax evasion • 2011: 5 more years for stealing and laundering
Corruption, Law, & Order in Russia • “The regime Putin built was based on loyalty to him above the rule of law.” • Mikhail Trepashkin • Corruption: Ranks 154th out of 178 countries on Transparency International Report, 2010.
“Anti-Corruption Efforts in Russia Fall Short • Why do Russian authorities frame innocent people? • How much do Russians pay in bribes a year? • How do police officers advance in the department? • Why was Trespashkin fired from the FSB?
Russia’s Political Culture Basic values and assumptions that people have toward authority, the political system, and political life. • Mistrust of Government • Low legitimacy and political efficacy • Statism • Government plays an active, strong role in shaping society (political, economic, social, and military). • Equality of Result • Persists after communism • Low approval of oligarchs