CZAR RULE IN THE RUSSIAN-CONGRESS-OF-PEOPLES-DEPUTIES

We construct a formal model, based upon the rules and structure of the Russian Congress of People's Deputies, to characterize equilibrium st rategies pursued by an agenda-setting Speaker. In conjunction with inf ormation about the distribution of preferences in the RCPD, our Czar R ule model yields several testable hypotheses. The model receives some empirical backing, but overall the results of our analyses do not supp ort it. We therefore attribute the conflict between the Yeltsin govern ment and the RCPD to fundamental disagreements over policy and not to internal contradictions in constitutional design.