Liberal or Authoritarian? How would you evaluate the 1993 Russian constitution? Draw on the constitution to illustrate your answer.

Liberal:[adj.] Tolerant of change; not bound by authoritarianism, orthodoxy, or tradition or; [n] A person who favours a political philosophy of progress and reform and the protection of civil liberties. Authoritarian:[adj.] Characterized by or favouring absolute obedience to authority, as against individual freedom: an authoritarian regime, or; [adj.] Of, relating to, or expecting unquestioning obedience. To understand the fabric of the Russian constitution approved in December 1993, it is important to appreciate the political …

…Press, 2001 Conradt, D. The German Polity, Pearson Education, 2002 Fogelklou, Anders. Constitutionalism and the Presidency in the Russian Federation. International Sociology, March 2003, vol. 18 Sakwa, R, Presidential Power, Working Paper, University of Kent, 2004 Sakwa R, Russian Politics and Society, 3rd edition, Routledge, 2002 White, S. Russia's New Politics, Cambridge University Press, 2000 Russian Constitution, 1993 Draft EU Constitution, 2003 www.wps.ru/e_index.html Accessed 17/02/2004 http://www.hyperdictionary.com/dictionary/liberal Accessed 17/02/2004 http://dictionary.reference.com/search?q=authoritarian Accessed 17/02/2004