The flag of the Donetsk People's Republic

The flag of the Donetsk People's Republic is based on the flag of Donetsk–Krivoy Rog Soviet Republic. The black is commonly thought to represent the Black Sea or the coal industry in the Donbass region. The red is thought to represent freedom and the blue is thought to represent water. The flag also features the coat of arms of the republic in the centre. The flag features the words " Donetsk People's Republic " in Russian. The previous flag of the Donetsk People Republic was identical to the flag of the Donetsk Republic but did not feature the words " Donetsk Republic ".

The anthem of the Donetsk People's Republic

Vstavay, Donbass! is the anthem of the Donetsk People's Republic. It was written by a band, Den' Triffinov, and subsequently adopted by the People's Rada of the Donetsk People's Republic in 2014.

 

Show you know: what happened on this day?

February 12, 1918____________________________________________________

April 7, 2014________________________________________________________

November 3, 2014___________________________________________________

March1994_________________________________________________________

November 28, 2014_______________________________________________

 

The end of the 1980s________________________________________________

May 11, 2014______________________________________________________

 

 

2. Study the text and answer the questions:

DEFINING POLITICS

 

The word ‘politics’ is derived from polis (Greek), literally meaning city-state. (Ancient Greek society was divided into a collection of independent city-states, each of which possessed its own system of government). The modern form of this definition is therefore ‘what concerns the state’. To study politics is in essence to study government, or more broadly, the exercise of authority.

Politics is what takes place within a polity, a system of social organizations centered upon the machinery of government.

Politics is therefore practiced in cabinet rooms, legislative chambers, government departments and the like and it is engaged in by a limited and specific group of people. Businesses, schools and other educational institutions, community groups, families and so on are in this sense ‘nonpolitical’ because they are not engaged in ‘running the country’.

The definition can be narrowed still further. This is evident in the tendency to treat politics as equivalent of party politics. In other words, the realm of ‘the political’ is restricted to those state actors who are consciously motivated by organizations such as a political party.

The link between politics and the affairs of the state also helps to explain why negative images have so often been attached to politics. This is because in the popular mind, politics is closely associated with the activities of politicians. But brutally, the politicians are often seen as power-seeking hypocrites who conceal personal ambitions behind the rhetoric of public service and ideological conviction. This rejection of the personnel and machinery of conventional political life is clearly evident in the use of derogatory phrases such as ‘office politics’ and ‘politicking’. But without some kind of mechanism for allocating authoritative values, society would simply disintegrate into a civil war of each against all. The task is therefore not to abolish politicians and to bring politics to an end, but rather to ensure that politics is conducted within a framework of checks and constraints that ensure that government power is not abused.

Thus, politics is the activity through which people make, preserve and amend the general rules under which they live.

Politics is also an academic subject; it is clearly concerned with the study of this activity.

Politics is also linked to the phenomena of conflict and cooperation (the existence of rival opinions, different wants, competing needs and opposing interests guarantees disagreement about the rules under which people live). This is why the heart of politics is often portrayed as a process of conflict resolution, in which rival views or competing interests are reconciled with one another.

1. What are the modern definition and the origin of the word ‘politics’?

2. Who are the main actors of politics?

3. Can you explain the case negative images have always been attached to politics?

4. What is the main subject of academic study of politics?

5. What is the heart of politics?

 

2.1. Memorize the vocabulary from the following text:

to define — определять; очерчивать границы, формы

politics — политика, политические события, политическая жизнь

polity(ies) — полития/политии (государственное устройство, система правления).

to possess — владеть, обладать;

to concern — касаться, иметь отношение к ч-л

to legislate — издавать законы

to restrict — ограничивать, сдерживать

to link — соединять, связывать;

to attach — присоединять, связывать

to seek (sought, sought) — стремиться; искать, разыскивать

to conceal smth — скрывать, прятать

to derogate — умалять достоинство, унижать.

to abolish — отменить, упразднить.

to allocate — распределять, назначать.

to reconcile — примирять, улаживать спор

 

2.2. Give Russian equivalents to the following word combinations. Combine your own sentence using any of the phrases below:

The exercise of authority; in cabinet rooms; legislative chambers; government departments and the like; images attached to politics; power-seeking hypocrites; rhetoric of public service and ideological conviction; allocating authoritative values; to abolish politicians; within a framework of checks and constraints; an academic subject; rival opinions or competing interests.

 

2.3. Study and fix in your dictionary different meanings for the following phrases. Key-words: ‘public’, ‘popular’, ‘community’, ‘communal’.

 

Public opinion

spending

bodies

image

officer

career

relations

facilities

administration

popular consent

idea

politician

elections

support

mandate

preferences

image

mobilisation

revolution

community local

business

scientific

communal interests

way of life

 

 

2.1. Study the text and answer the questions:

Different views of politics

Politics as the art of government. ‘Politics is not a science...but an art’. Chancellor Bismarck is reputed to have told the German Reichstag. The art Bismarck had in mind was the art of government, the exercise of control within society through the making and enforcement of collective decisions. This is perhaps the classical definition of politics, developed from the original meaning of the term in Ancient Greece.

Politics as public affairs. The second and broader conception of politics moves it beyond the narrow realm of government to what is thought of as ‘public life’ or ‘public affairs’. On the basis of ‘public/private’ division, politics is restricted to the activities of the state itself and the responsibilities which are properly exercised by public bodies (the apparatus of government, the courts, the police, the army, the society-security system and so forth).

Politics as compromise and consensus. The third conception of politics relates not so much to the arena within which politics is conducted as to the way in which decisions are made. Specifically, politics is seen as a particular means of resolving conflict that is by compromise, conciliation and negotiation, rather than through force and naked power. This is what is implied when politics is portrayed as the art of the possible’. Such a definition is inherent in the everyday use of the term. For instance, the description of a solution to a problem as a ‘political’ solution implies peaceful debate and arbitration, as opposed to what is often called a ‘military’ solution.

Politics as power. The fourth definition of politics is both the broadest and the most radical. This view sees politics at work in all social activities and in every corner of human existence. At its broadest, politics concerns the production, distribution and use of resources in the course of social existence, but the essential ingredient is the existence of scarcity. The simple fact that, while human needs and desires are infinite, the resources available to satisfy them are always limited, politics can therefore be seen as a struggle over scarce resources, and power can be seen as the means through which this struggle is conducted.

2.2. Memorize the vocabulary from the following text:

- to repute — считать, полагать

- to enforce — принуждать, заставлять, навязывать, проводить в жизнь

- to conciliate — примирять

- to negotiate — вести переговоры

- to oppose — противиться, возражать

- to relate — быть связанным, иметь отношения, касаться чего-либо

- inherent in smth — быть присушим чему-либо

- scarcity — недостаточность, дефицит; scarce а — недостаточный.

- to imply - (об)означать, подразумевать, намекать

- specific — особый, конкретный, специфический

2.3. Answer the following questions:

- Through which means is the art of government exercised?

- What do public bodies include?

- What are the ways of resolving conflicts?

- What is your interpretation of ‘the art of the possible’?

- Where do ‘politics and power’ work?

- What is the essential ingredient of politics as power?

 

2.4. Translate from English into Russian:

Through the making and enforcement of collective decisions; public affairs; beyond the narrow realm of government; the society — security system; consensus; a particular means of resolving conflict; naked power; ‘the art of the possible’; peaceful debate and arbitration; in all social activities and in every corner of human existence.

2.5. Translate into Russian in writing:

1. Chancellor Bismarck is reputed to have told the German Reichstag: ‘Politics is not a science but an art’.

2. Aristotle was known to call politics ‘the master science’.

3. Public bodies are believed to be funded at the public expense, out of taxation.

4. The famous aphorism ‘power tends to corrupt, and absolute power corrupts absolutely’ seems to belong to Lord Acton (1834-1902).

5. Aristotle was reported to believe that polity is the rule by the many in the interests of all.

6. Moscow is likely to become one of the world’s largest cities.

7. The adjective ‘Machiavellian’

8. happens to mean ‘cunning and duplicitous’ (хитрый и двуличный).

9. Power is known to be the ability to achieve the desired outcome.

10. Politics is said to be portrayed as ‘the art of the possible’.

2.6. Propose English equivalents for the following phrases:

Осуществление контроля в обществе; нести ответственность за...; аппарат правительства; суды; означать, подразумевать; проводить политику; вести борьбу; это определение политики самое широкое и радикальное; политика в действии; в самом широком смысле политика имеет отношение к распределению и использованию природных ресурсов; удовлетворять чьи-либо потребности.

2.7. Translate from Russian into English:

 

1. Оказывается, что политика — это постоянная борьба.

2. Кажется, что вторая концепция термина «политика» пол­ностью не исключает содержание первой.

3. Говорят, что Бисмарк сравнивал политику с искусством.

4. Такое отношение к внутренней политике заставляет нас сделать собственные выводы.

5. Мы наблюдали, как политики подписывают этот документ.

6. Оратор дал нам понять, что природные ресурсы страны ог­раничены.

 

2.8. Suggest English equivalents:

1. разногласия

2. противоречие

3. Древняя Греция

4. принципы

5. основываться

6. научная дисциплина

7. развитие

8. отказ, неприятие

9. важность политических ценностей

10. универсальные ценности

11. средство

12. школы анализа

 

3.1. Study the text and answer the questions: