The Government Reform of 1993–1994 in Russian Federation: Background, Course and Results

Abstract

This article considers the question of forming new government in the Russian Federation in January 1994, analyzes its structure and staff in the context of struggle between different elite groups in 1991–1994. The main part of the article covers the period from December 1993 to January 1994, when after the acceptation of the new Russian Constitution the process of forming staff and structure of the new government was under way. Also, on the basis of foreign sources the role of the United States and personally president W.J. Clinton in internal policy of Russia is described. Several sources are introduced to the scientific circulation for the first time. As a result, it is concluded that during the period from September 1992 to March 1993 B.N. Yeltsin and his supporters turned the government into the main mechanism of coherence of different elite groups interests and completely debarred the Supreme Soviet from participation in this process. After making several steps to accommodate different groups of interests, Yeltsin rather easily liquidated the oppositional parliament and achieved acceptation of the new constitution. The reform of the government in January 1994 was aimed at pacification of the political field and support of the president before the new parliament — The State Duma — started its work.