The Domestic Political Causes In The Evolution Of Russian Foreign Policy After The Cold War

One country's foreign policy is making on the rational choice by the policy maker with the national interest. However, the decision of the foreign policy was maked in a complex domestic political environment, which made domestic politics and foreign policy in an interactive process. Specifically for Russia, if we want to analysis contemporary Russian foreign policy, to understand the create or decision making mechanism is important. Taking full account of the collapse of Soviet Union, the restructuring or changes of political, economic, cultural and social in Russia's internal systems are very useful. As the first-class strategy scientist Alexander·Winter of contemporary talked about the domestic environmental impact in the foreign policy that'foreign policy primarily depends on domestic political behavior'. At the same time, domestic political factors impact foreign policy, while its foreign policy also have impact on Russia's domestic political, economic change,the participation of world-system approach means the degree of reaction to domestic politics.Except for the introduction, this dissertation analyses and explores Russian domestic politics,the past,present and future of foreign policy with four chapters.After Soviet Union collapsed in 1991, the Russian federation establishmented, followed by chaotic upheaval of Russian domestic politics. Each political orientation widely combination and division and the cabinet changes frequently. In the nine year Yeltsin came into power, faces of governent leaders change so frequently that people become accustomed to Russia's political arena. After Putin became the president of Russia, reforming the original system, attacking the oligarch, strengthen the centralization and try to control the medium, the domestic politics of Russia tends to be stable. In eight years of Putin as president, preliminary frame of party politics, separation of powers, balance of power in domestic politics system established, the operation of modern politics goes on steady. Afterward, new president Medvedev stems from Putin system, there will no great changes in domestic politics construction,Putin transfers from president to premier,simultaneously to retain the original government,which caused the relation of president and premier changed, which is differed from the past.If we take full account of Russian foreign policy change with the cultural, social, traditional and other background factors,we will found that since Peter The Great, Russia paly a important role not only in the European stage, but also in the global stage.Studying Russia's diplomatic acts with the political culture and diplomatic history, we will discover that'the Slav principle','mission consciousness'and 'Russian exception theory' in the Russian politics culture had such a great influence in affecting Russia's diplomatic strategy.'the foreign policy start from the home', Dr. Ludeweixi Harder statesman of the Federal Republic of Germany,who described the relations of internal affairs and diplomatic extremely appropriately.The next chapter discussed the interactive process of domestic politics and foreign policy. Russia's domestic politics factor is affecting its foreign policy profoundly in the reforming period. At the same time, the policy of the West to Russia also cause changes in its domestic politics,which process we call'corresponding change' or'interactive process'. This chapter enumerated a series of domestic politics influence factor, like political power construction, organization system, military force, economic potentiality, public opinion, special interest group and so on, show they how to built Russia's foreign relations in the concrete stratification plane. Meanwhile, the international society, the Western countries'Russia policy how to effect in Russia's domestic politics. Especially in the democracy reforming stage from former Soviet Union. The Russian government facing election pressures and so on. Although "the new cold war" has been repeated times to times, but they are exaggerates obviously. To this point, Russia and the West will not take comprehensive resistance, the conflicts between them does not mix with ideology factors, "the new cold war" or conflicts between Russia and the West is far away from reality. Although Russia and West have different viewpoints in many hot pots issues, particularly in the former Soviet Union space, But I think that as the progress of Russia's democratic system advanced in the future, the relations between Russia and West will get into a bright stage.Finally,we mention a general theory of the association of domestic and foreign affairs in Russia: domestic politics determine the foerign policy, and the foreign policy affecting the domestic politics. This is an interactive process. Foreign policy, the political with the two sides-----the international system and system participants, it is the interaction between the two factor,which shaped one country's foreign policies.