Tim Butterfield
Russia, The Soviet Union and Human Rights

By Tim Butterfield

Russia has been changing and re-shaping itself, its boundaries, and its culture (Perushev, 2007). The Soviet Union Party restricted the rights of citizens, forcing them to support the ideology and policies of the Government and prosecuted those who opposed. This paper will discuss Human Rights in Russia during the Soviet Union rule and in Russia today.

Russia is the largest country in the world. It has vast landscapes, vibrant life, beautiful contrasts, and interesting people. Russia is about 9000 km from west to east and about 5000 km from north to south making it the largest country in the world. Russia is home to people of many different nationalities and customs, resulting in Russia being called a "bridge" between Europe and Asia, both geographically and sociologically. Russia has always been changing and re-shaping itself, its boundaries, and its culture. In the ancient times, the Slavs, Finn tribes, Tatars, had made their way through Russia, and this mix of many different nations and their traditions has defined the unique Russian character and culture we have today. The population of Russia is 147.5 million people, most live in the European part and the others live in the Asian part of Russia. Most of these people are Russians (81%) the others are Ukrainians, Tatars, Belorussians, Polish, Germans, Jews, Caucasians and the language spoken is mostly Russian (Perushev, 2007).

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