and has survived these turbulent years intact.4. Eligibility for Public Office and the Right of Political Leaders to Compete for Public Support.In Russia the question that running for office asks is, "How much money can you muster?" This is however the case in many democratic nations including the United States. There are no rules or laws for the amount of money that can be raised for a campaign and the sources for the money are not important. The Russians have a saying that loosely translated means that as long as everything works, there is no problem. This is true, but in Russia there are questions about whether or not this fourth requirement is met. There are people who are told that they cannot run. In Ingushetia and Tartarstan there have been unopposed elections and in Kalmykia as well. These have not been uncontested by chance but by force. This question is open because the way the law reads is that anyone can run but then again so does the law in the United States. Viability of the candidate and who supports him is the important question there as it is here.5. Alternative Sources of Information.Outside sources are easily available in most of Russia. The Internet as well as satellite television has allowed the people to gain relatively easy access to outside information. There is however some dispute as to how reliable the sources are. TASS was important under Communism and remains a news leader today.6. Fair and Free Elections.As illustrated by Yeltsin's frustration with the State Duma it is obvious that he could not choose the people in it. In many of the Russian republics, however, elections are far from fair. The reliability of the voting system in these places has been questioned and reformers are seeking to change the way it happens.7. Institutions for Making Government Policies Depend on Votes and other Expressions of Preference.The Russians are having some trouble clearing this problem. It is shown t...
