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European Union (ex-MEE) has been growing since early 1957. Ex-exclusive club of six western European countries, now including the former communist countries, many in Eastern Europe, among them the three ex-Soviet republic. More ex-Soviet republics, notably Ukraine and Georgia, also has expressed interest in participating. Given the interest of the EU’s eastern neighbors are drawn into the fold, so remarkable that both Russia and the European Union has expressed great interest in the inclusion of Russia into the European Union. One is to ask about the reasons why Russia is not part of a united Europe. The answer lies in the greatness of Russia, the proportion when compared with countries of the European Union, now Russia is the largest country in the world. Which contains the largest population of all European countries, and is a super-strong military force. Furthermore, the process of democracy and economic dependence have made these two fundamentally different areas and keep them from melting in the same block.

The reason why the former Soviet countries are now able to join the European Union is deeply rooted in the Bolshevik Revolution of 1917, which indirectly lead to bring the former Soviet republic of Lithuania, Latvia and Estonia to approach Union ideological, political and cultural Europe. That is, they gained independence from the Soviet Union during the Bolshevik Revolution, and continued until the Second World War. During the period, and throughout its history before that, they have close ties with the western neighbors, especially in Finland, Poland and Germany. As such, they are also more like a western Russia. They are mostly Catholic or Protestant, like most other Europeans, are not Eastern Orthodox, like Russia, and also to maintain the level of corruption is much lower than that found in Russia. Equally important, the small countries in the area and population. Due to its modest size, which pose no threat to the European Union. This is all relevant aspects, which I believe makes it easier for the former Soviet Union to be absorbed into the EU without major restrictions.

Russia may not be sufficient as a Westerner as the three Baltic states, but also part of European culture and share the same story. Russian elite culture has become part of European culture during the reign of Emperor Peter the Great, who ruled from 1682 to 1725. In order to make the cultural elite of the Russian elite is more similar to western European culture, he moved the Russian capital from Moscow to St. Petersburg, which remains the capital of Russia until the Bolshevik Revolution in 1917. But unlike Western Europe, most of the development of capitalism in Russia on hold because of the weak Russian bourgeoisie, the impact of competition from more developed West and the capacity of the structures pre-capitalist to survive during the communist era . Relations with the European Parliament more hostile. The exception is the Second World War when the Russians pay a price for more than 20 million people died worldwide 60 million, while trying to defeat the Nazis. This figure refers to the entire former Soviet Union, not just Russia. Russia and the European Union as a part of Christians as a common religious belief, and the fact that in both places most people rarely or never go to church is another similarity in the way people in these two places religious practices. It is true that most citizens of the Russian Orthodox Christians, while most EU countries, both Catholics and Protestants, but the European Union countries, as well as three members of the Orthodox Christian majority. Greece, Bulgaria and Romania Moreover, since the 18th century, Russia has vigorously taken all sorts of European ideas. It was to such extremes that the Russian prime minister to speak better French than Russian, which means that they are culturally closer to France and as such to Western Europe. Moreover, the idea of communism was not originally from Russia. It was developed by Karl Marx, a member of the German economy and the 19th century philosopher, and his ideas, which is known as a Marxist, spread quickly throughout Europe, including Tsarist Russia. Therefore, even Marxism, which led to the Soviet Bolshevik Revolution, was imported from Germany, member of the European Union. Cultural influence between Western Europe and Russia had only one exit. Many people in Western Europe enjoy the famous writer of the 19th century Russian literature, like Tolstoy, Dostoyevsky, Turgenev and the poet Pushkin. They also share the same award for the Russian ballet, classical music, including the opera “Boris Godunov”, and pop culture. In 2008, Russia and even won the Eurovision Song Contest.

economic dependence led the European Union and Russia are far from each other. The European Union is the core of the economy in which economic activities are developed, such as manufacturing, banking, and processing of primary products, among others. This happened for a long time, while the Russians that the semi-peripheral economies still retain a significant position in the global economy is in the heart and the peripheral economies is limited to primary production. Russia trade to the economies of both center and periphery, and consequently produce high levels of profit margins and wages.

Walt Whitman Rostow Based on the theory of economic growth, Ford express Rich Rostow five stages of economic viability, I see behind the economic performance of Russia in Western Europe is the primary form of the European Union. The first phase is characterized by the activities of traditional societies, where subsistence farming is dominant. The second stage is the transitional work as a condition for the economy to take off, this trade was the beginning, as well as transportation must be improved to facilitate trade, revenue increased and people can have savings. The third stage is when the industry took off and gained weight is reached, the ex-farm workers are employed in factories, there are more profits and demand for labor, services and equipment to attract more industry. The fourth step is the drive to maturity, after a relatively long history, the economy becomes diverse and complex, with significant advances in the technology sector, making the economy less dependent on imports. The fifth stage is the prevalence of mass consumption is characterized by a strong services sector, with high per capita income and growth in subscriber durable in the industry.

Following the theory of growth, I believe that Western Europe went through all phases of economic growth and Rostow in the fifth stage of high mass consumption as real income per capita rose from high in these countries. Meanwhile, Russia has been through three levels of economic growth and are now caught up in four stages to fight on their journey to economic maturity increases the real income per capita. However, this is a scenario to understand when one considers that the Russian economy is still a semi-regional and national level have taken most of the countries of Western Europe. In short, the European Union depends on Russia more than vice versa. Russia mainly exports oil and natural gas and high-end imported products. But Western Europe is almost no natural resources and therefore are also dependent on Russia, which is sometimes decided to blackmail Europe. The big EU countries lost occupants of the property, then they must join together to play the role of power in the world. Siberia and Russia still have a very large area, more confident about the great power status. Moreover, Russia has gained a status of autonomy, both as a military force, which helps them suffering from external pressure.

While with them, or at least closely related ideas, religions and cultures, Russia and the European Union is not part of the same bloc. If they are, I believe that Russia will find more jobs in Western markets, both in high-end jobs and low cost, while Russia will be flooded with Western investors and CEOs who will rule Russia around and causing problems. Although today’s Russia were mesmerized by the public to enjoy the literacy rate is high, the best universities are located in countries of Western Europe’s competitiveness and therefore the best for the job can be difficult for Russia. However, Russian citizens can benefit from the freedom to seek employment opportunities that are needed in Western Europe. But the Western-educated people can be very competitive for the necessary work in Moscow and St. Petersburg. Hypothesis, if Russia to join the trade will be easier because of lower import and export customs barriers. The European Union can take advantage of bringing into the fold is a country that can really be competing economic, political, military or even more important in the future. The European Union will ensure more reliable access to Russian oil major back up, gas and other natural resources and expand its territory up to the fast growing market in China.

However, the Russian power structure known as too corrupt to the highest EU standards. Russian war in Chechnya and an aggressive attitude to neighboring Georgia and Ukraine is also a factor for the weak union. Human rights abuses and instability in the Caucasus, particularly Chechnya is calculated by the weakness of Russia in the nominations as possible. After the extreme economic liberalism of President Boris Yeltsin, who ruled Russia in 1990, Russia became the target of near-dictatorial powers former president and now prime minister, Vladimir Putin. Russia still maintains a fragile democracy, along with international financial instability. Moreover, because a large population of Russia is over 140 million and vast territory of Russia, along with a military force that actually bring Russia into the G8 economic forum, the world’s seven richest countries plus Russia by its military power. All the greatness of Russia is capable of leading the EU for the unwanted and the European Union, as is generally preferred to keep Russia out of the pack. In addition, several EU Member States have, in particular Poland and the three Soviet countries, hold a strong distrust and hatred of Russian history, and they might reject the candidacy of Russia. This does not mean that Russia has shown interest in joining a lot of good European. Russia saw itself as a major critic of the United States and China, and many are not interested in becoming a single member of the Brussels club. Russian forces continue to pose a potential threat, and Russia often seem to prefer to stay away from the majority of organizations believe that the Western alliance. that the Russian elite and ordinary citizens willing to sacrifice part of their income, quality of life and freedom to the greatness of Russia and the importance of using the stadium in the European Union. Germany is a bigger economy than Russia when it comes to measuring the parity of purchasing power. Likewise, Russia, Germany also once seen as the economic and military power and the current strike is the most densely populated countries of the European Union. But unlike Russia, West Germany received a large influence of the United States, along with the geographical location of Germany in West European countries that do not provide any other destination that the block belongs to the political development and socio-economic development of the European Union. Unlike Germany after World War II, Russia’s Communist superpower rivaling the United States for ideological and economic domination throughout the world during the Cold War and because he works in the west to avoid the influence of Russian society.

These two regions, despite its location in the neighboring countries, often dealing with democracy in several ways, which are historically interesting they are separated from each other, and continue to do so in the future. According to Dahl, there were three waves in history is important in the development of democracy. This means that “First, that the establishment, when the mass of the people gradually accepted in the political community, secondly, that the delegates when the party received the right to organize and, thirdly, the organized opposition, when the people earn the right to lodge an appeal to vote against the government “(Caraman 117). In Russia, there is no democracy until 1991, and the extent of its citizens in political life remains low. The delegates, many people here, but only one party holds almost dictatorial powers, the United Russia party of Prime Minister Putin. In contrast, most European Union countries have strong multi-party system, with a high degree of independence and community participation of people in public affairs.

Also, as indicated by Dahl, the democratic process has two distinct dimensions. Characterized by the liberalization of the right to be represented and the opposition. Moreover, the dimensions of participation and inclusion represent the referendum process. The two dimensions of democracy would be enough to compare the way for mass democracy. Most non-democratic countries liberalize without becoming more inclusive. Oligarchy is competitive by Dahl, including “a parliamentary system with limited suffrage in the UK and France before the regime of WWI. Non-democracy becomes more inclusive without liberalization is classified as an inclusive hegemony” (Caraman 123) . It also includes the fascist and communist totalitarian Nazi Germany and the Soviet bloc, which generally means working for a lot less competitive in the method of mass selection. Even where democracy is more efficient set, liberalization and a more inclusive society, simultaneously or in stages. “The system in question and other post-communist in a similar situation does not usually fail, or fall back from democracy, there are concerns about raising the quality of his defense of democracy” (Caraman 123).

In this case, the EU is most likely concerned about the quality of democracy in Russia, because of weak political party system, which is “the same combination can not run the board and the decay of the Soviet era is still young and fragile democratic practices “(Kort 230). There are also concerns about Russia’s compliance with the court to the executive government, together with the low level of citizen participation in politics. Therefore, the Russian people in general seem to prefer to stay away from politics in exchange for more stable and growing standard of living, they can not enjoy the previous decade, under President Yeltsin.

Russia also began a wave of democratization, cited by Huntington. The first wave of democracy “took place 1826-1926, and then reversed in part by the rise of fascism and authoritarianism in 1920 and 1930, the second wave came after World War II and was proposed in the 1960 and 1970, and the third was initiated by Portugal in 1974 and reached explosive levels after 1989 “(Caraman 111). Not until 1990, finally, to embrace democratic Russia, while Western European countries, which are part of the European Union went through this wave of democracy and the role of the situation regarding the appointment of Russia’s joining the European Union.

Learn more will to some that the European Union and Russia are naturally associated with the land and close to one another, share a very common story, but still are far from the economy in the same block. But the EU can not invite Russia to join the EU bloc, because the Russians may want to take over and govern the EU. Russia is very large in area, population and military power, and then has a very ambitious way in world affairs. The countries of the former Soviet Union, now part of the European Union, Lithuania, Latvia and Estonia could join the European Union, because it represents any kind of threat to the European Union, while other former Soviet countries is not represent a threat or the glory that Russia have also expressed interest in participating.

economic dependence between Russia and the European Union proved to be equivalent, and must keep them apart, a core semi-periphery, while Russia’s aspiration to become a core economic future, today is a good market for EU core of their products. Furthermore, Russia maintains a democratic heavy, while the European Union stands for democracy that is efficient, the political model that is necessary for every serious candidate of the European Union. Moreover, the idea of world domination by the communist system, from the moment the Soviet Union is a superpower in the 20th century, still seems to linger in the mind of Russia, and the same communist ideology is to bring China along with the rules for their party in the same position for the 21st century. Therefore, there are signs that the tide of authoritarian possibilities may play a role in world affairs in the future, and Russia is undoubtedly the desire to strengthen the position of traditional leadership and international and be a part of it, not become part of European Union – but other major powers have emerged, such as China, began to represent the inevitable threat to Russia.

Works Cited

Caraman, Daniele. Comparative Politics. The first edition published 2008 by Oxford University Press: New York

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rel = “nofollow” onclick = “javascript:. _gaq.push (_trackPageview” ['/ Outgoing /']);” article_exit_link? href = “http://www.eric.ed.gov/ERICWebPortal/Home.portal?_nfpb=true&_pageLabel=ERICSearchResult&_urlType=action&newSearch=true&ERICExtSearch_SearchType_0=au&ERICExtSearch;_SearchValue_0=” Ford> Rich V. L . “Walt Whitman Rostow (1916-2003). Rostow stages of development (1916-2003 ). April 22, 2004

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Kort , Michael. Brief History of Russia. Ed. Boston University, 2008. New York