A Study on the Authoritarianization of the Russian Parliamentary Elites During Putin"s Regime

This study analyzes the types of russian political elites during Putin&quots regime (2000-2024) by applying the ‘unity-differentiation-circulation model’. The analysis results revealed that the russian political elites fits the ‘WWWG(⑨)’ type. Therefore, how can this type of elite be defined as a ruling elite? The findings of this study reveal that the russian elites, based on the WWWG(⑨) type, possesses the characteristics of a professional bureaucratic elites, that is, an elite group that has become bureaucratized. The important aspect is that the purpose of this study is to determine the extent to which this WWWG(⑨) type of professional bureaucratic elite group has become authoritarian during Putin&quots regime and to identify the type of authoritarianism it represents.<br/> Based on this research objective, the study concluded that the current Russian political system can be defined as ‘electoral authoritarianism-quasi-multiparty-oligarchic authoritarianism’. In other words, the authoritarianism in Russia during Putin&quots regime can be described as an electoral authoritarian system that allows political participation from various parties while mobilizing ‘in-system parties’. Through this, it was discovered that the United Russia-led dominant elite exhibits the characteristics of a collective leadership system, revealing a new fact: an ‘oligarchic authoritarian regime’ where power is concentrated among a select group of elites.