Krigas, 1

Rocky 4
(A look at Russia and USA’s quality of life)

Ian Krigas
GLC2OD
Todd Lamont
3/7/2023
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There are many different types of governments in the world. Two that have come out as

being the most prominent are Authoritarian and Democratic. An authoritarian government is

one in which the state controls every aspect of life and is often run by dictators or warlords. A

democratic government is a government for the people by the people. They are run by elected

officials, who can at any time be removed from power. Two examples for each type are Russia

and the USA. They both differ from each other, and this is seen in the quality of life for each

country's citizens. While both Russia and the US are powerful countries in a global political

sense, the USA has a better quality of life, which is obvious when you look at their government

structure, healthcare, and economy.

The government structure between the USA and Russia significantly impacts the quality of

life in both countries. In the USA, the government operates as a federal constitutional republic

1
with a separation of powers between the executive, legislative, and judicial branches. This

allows for checks and balances, ensuring that no one branch has too much power. However,

Russia has a federal semi-presidential constitutional republic 2, where the president has

significant power and control over the government. This amount of power in the presidential

branch can create an accountability problem. This could lead to corruption and human rights

1
“USA," The World Fact Book, https://www.cia.gov/the-world-factbook/countries/.
2
“Russia,” The World Fact Book, https://www.cia.gov/the-world-factbook/countries/.
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offenses. These factors can affect the quality of life in both countries, as people in the USA may

have more faith in their government and feel more protected by their rights, while those in

Russia may face greater challenges in communicating with their government and having their

voices heard3.

The difference in economy between the United States and Russia can have significant

implications for human rights in both countries. The US has a market-based economy with a

public selling system. This has created a high standard of living, better social programs, and a

low level of corruption, all of which contribute to the protection of human rights. Oppositely,

Russia's economy is heavily dependent on natural resources, particularly oil, and gas, which

have fueled a corrupt oligarchy4. As a result, economic inequality is high, and social programs

are often underfunded or nonexistent. The lack of economic opportunities and widespread

corruption can increase human rights abuses, such as restrictions on freedom of speech,

political repression, and discrimination against minority groups 5.

The gap in healthcare between Russia and the USA greatly impacts the quality of life of

their citizens. While the USA has a more advanced and accessible healthcare system, Russia's

healthcare system has old equipment and bad staff. In the USA, people can access better

medical care, technologies, and staff. However, the high cost of healthcare in the USA makes it
3
Amnesty International, accessed March 3, 2023, https://amnesty.ca/.
4
OECD Russia, accessed March 3, 2023, https://www.oecd.org/countries/russia/.
5
Amnesty International, accessed March 3, 2023, https://amnesty.ca/.
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difficult for people to afford it. On the other hand, Russia's healthcare system has long waiting

times, bad facilities, and limited resources, which can negatively affect the health of its citizens.

While healthcare in Russia is free, it is almost impossible to be given care soon and, in most

cases, patients must wait a while until they are seen. In the USA, there are more babies born

than there are deaths annually6, however, in Russia, there are twice as many deaths as there

are births. This shows that Russia's healthcare is lagging behind the rest of the world and that

its population is declining. These differences in healthcare systems can have a direct impact on

the overall quality of life, with citizens in the USA living on average 77 years compared to those

in Russia who on average live 717.

Even though Russia and the USA are both powerful countries, the USA has a better

government structure, healthcare, and economy, which leads to its citizens having a higher

quality of life. The USA follows a democratic government, while Russia has an authoritarian

one. In a democratic government, officials are elected by the people, for the people. An

authoritarian government is controlled by one party, and it acts in its own interest. This is

important in looking at countries that are starting to lean towards an authoritarian regime, as

we can now see that it will decrease the quality of life and will affect the whole country.

6
OECD USA, accessed March 3, 2023, https://www.oecd.org/unitedstates/.
7
Amnesty International.
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Bibliography:

Amnesty International. Accessed March 3, 2023. https://amnesty.ca/.

"Explore All Countries." The World Fact Book. https://www.cia.gov. the-world-factbook/countries/.
OECD Russia. Accessed March 3, 2023. https://www.oecd.org/countries/russia/.
OECD USA. Accessed March 3, 2023. https://www.oecd.org/unitedstates/.
"USA." The World Fact Book. https://www.cia.gov. the-world-factbook/usa/.
"Russia." The World Fact Book. https://www.cia.gov. the-world-factbook/russia/.