Economy
This term describes the rapid transition to a market economy implemented in Russia in the early 1990s
shock therapy
When was Yeltsin elected as the first president of the Russian Republic in the USSR?
June 1991
Was the Communist party allowed in Russian after 1991?
The Communist Party was initially banned after the 1991 coup, but a new, legal Communist Party of the Russian Federation emerged and remained a significant political force in post-Soviet Russia.
The years of the First Chechen War
1994-1996
When was Yeltsin appointed as the First Secretary of the Moscow City Communist Party
1985
This economic policy involved selling state-owned enterprises to private individuals
privatisation
What had happened in August 1991?
State Committee on the State of Emergency, a group of hardline Soviet officials, attempted to seize power to stop reforms and preserve the Soviet Union.
What is political liberalization?
This policy allowed Russians to form new political parties and compete in elections.
Who were the “New Russians” ?
wealthy businessmen with luxury lifestyles
Yeltsin had majority popular support in the elections of 1991, how many % did he get in this election?
around 57%
This 1995 scheme allowed private banks to lend money to the Russian government in exchange for temporary control of state-owned enterprises
the loans-for-shares program
What was the essence of the Constitutional reform of 1993?
fundamentally shifted power toward the presidency and allowed Yeltsin to push through economic reforms more easily
How many new political parties emerged during the first years of the modern Russia?
Roughly 50–60 political parties emerged in the first few years of modern Russia, though only a few became influential at the national level.
What were the key social developments in the 90's? Name at least three.
An increased gap between poor and rich,
Population decline (1991: ~148.5 million v 2000: ~146.3 million - over 2 million people during the decade)
Social safety nets collapsed
Life expectancy dropped
When did Yeltsin resign?
1999
What was the level of inflation after the first privatisation?
extreme levels—essentially hyperinflation, e.g.,
How did the loan for shares programme help Yeltsin to stay in power? Name at least two things.
Many oligarchs controlled major TV channels and newspapers and promoted Yeltsin, framed reforms positively and attacked rivals.
The government received urgent loans to cover budget deficits. This helped Yeltsin to pay wages and pensions (at least temporarily)
Could you name at least three signs of the democratic development in the modern Russia?
How many Russians lived below the poverty line by the mid-1990s?
1/3
What was his original education/profession?
Civil engeener
What industries were in the loans for shares programme?
Major oil companies, for example, Yukos or Sibneft, besides, metals and mines, e.g., Norilsk Nickel (nickel mining giant)
Who was the main rival of Yeltsin in the election of 1996?
Gennady Zyuganov, leader of the Communist Party of Russia, who was very popular among voters nostalgic for the Soviet era
Name at least two Russian oligarchs who controlled media in the 90s
What is the Khasavyurt Accord?
The agreement ended the First Chechen War in 1996, which allowed Chechnya de facto independence while postponing its final status.
When did Yeltsin join the CPSU?
1961, he was 30 y.o