Comparative Authoritarianism – Russia and China

FINAL Take-home Exam

Spring 2011, Professors Newton and Perry

Due Monday, May 6 at 6pm (late exams will be penalized)

Paper copy: Professor Perry’s faculty mailbox in Combes
Electronic copy: email to jmhnewton@yahoo.com

This take-home FINAL exam should be completed individually. Please note that this
exercise is intended to test your understanding of the assigned reading. You may also
refer to other peer-reviewed sources for the China question, if you wish to do so. We will
count the number of words used in each response, and penalize students who do not
respect the 1500-word limit (including footnotes).
Most importantly, PLEASE only answer the country question that does NOT correspond
to your policy paper. If you are writing your policy paper on Russia, you MUST answer
the exam question on China, and vice-versa. No exceptions!

Question 1. Please provide a 1500-word response to the following question on Russia.

We expect you to use course material, including page numbers, in your response. (100
points):

Based only on the reading and class lectures, describe the political and economic
system that has evolved in Russia over the last two decades.
• Rather than trying to list or describe everything, stick to explaining the dominant
trends in Russia’s political and economic evolution and the factors/forces that have
driven those trends.
• Include an understanding over time of at least three institutions--such as, the
presidency, parliament, the law, federalism (center-region arrangements), media,
elections.
• Try and characterize the system in Russia that exists today, including its strengths
and weaknesses.

OR

Question 2. Please provide a 1500-word response to the following question on China.

We expect you to use course material, including page numbers, in your response. (100
points):

Please determine whether the current system that has evolved in China over the last
two decades is sustainable for the next two decades.
• Analyze and explain the development of no more than three institutions - such as the
Party, government, economy, law, federalism (center-region arrangements), dissent
(Charter 08), security, media, or environmental policy.
• Pin-point strengths and weaknesses that indicate the durability of these institutions
and their contribution, or lack thereof, to stability in China over the next 20 years.