Interest Group IDs

Possibly unimportant group of terms, it was assigned reading but I wouldn't worry too much about them:

statist- the soviet state sponsored and controlled interest groups. WHY IMPORTANT: declined during glasnost in the 1990s, giving the state less control over the civic institutions.

pluralism- multiple groups competed for members and influence. WHY IMPORTANT: 1990s, the prevailing pattern of interest articulation, which allowed for groups to have more influence over their government.

corporatism- the state funds certain groups while ignoring or repressing others. WHY IMPORTANT: Putin moved Russia towards corporatism, increasing the control of the terms of the relationships between interest groups and policy makers.

Russian Union of Industrialists and Entrepreneurs (RUIE)- big business interest group. It is a collection of old state industrial firms and newer financial-industrial conglomerates headed by oligarchs. WHY IMPORTANT: While the most powerful interest group in Russia, the RUIE speaks with a much meeker voice since Putin's stand against oligarchs during the 'Yukos Affair', which the RUIE did not try to stop. The state speaks with a louder voice than any interest group.

Federation of Independent Trade Unions in Russia (FITUR)- largest trade union in Russia. A far cry from an effective voice for workers, the FITUR is quite concerned how their actions will be viewed by the Kremlin, who it clears planned activities and messages with ahead of time. It also has withheld layoff numbers because of concerns about the company's stock prices. WHY IMPORTANT: There is not a strong labor interest group in Russia.

Russian Orthodox Church- largest religion in Russia. The church sees the state and church interlocked. Membership is a tribute not of just free will, but of nationality. WHY IMPORTANT: It successfully obtained legislation that denied equality to competing religious organizations.