Реферат: Consolidation Of Democracy In PostSoviet Russia Essay

The personalization of transition politics presents enormous difficulties by hampering the

institutionalization of necessary reforms.

Still, with all these problems that have been outlined, I feel that it is unlikely that we will see a return to

authoritarianism. Lilia Shevtsova concludes:

?Despite the shallowness of democracy?s roots and the continuous attempts by some in power to curtail

freedom, the obstacles to the establishment of a full blow authoritarian regime appear insurmountable.

There are just too many active and self-conscious interest groups, too many people who have become

accustomed to life in a relatively free atmosphere, too many competing elites, no united and effective

bureaucracy, and a military establishment that seems highly unlikely to rally behind any would be man on

horseback? (Shevtsova 70).

The character of the next regime will provide many clues to what the future of Russia might be.

Economic transformations are not sufficient conditions for the consolidation of democracy. I am not

optimistic that Yeltsin has either the proclivity or the longevity to engage in any sort of meaningful

political reform. If the next regime does not adequately address what, Smitter referred to as, the extrinsic

dilemmas facing Russia, then consolidation is very unlikely. These dilemmas include political graft,

privileged treatment of the elite, unequal distribution of wealth, and crime (Smitter 73). If they are not

dealt with the future of democracy will be bleak, indeed.

Works Cited

Drobizheva , Leokadia. “Democratization and Nationalism in the Russian Federation.” Sponsored by the

Kennan Institute for Advanced Russian Studies: Presented on February 8 1996.

Fish, Stephen. Democracy From Scratch: Opposition and Regime in the New Russian Revolution .

(Princeton: Princeton University Press, 1995).

Jowitt, Kenneth. ?Dizzy With Democracy.? Problems of Post Communism, 1 (Jan-Feb, 1996) :

3-8.

Lapidus, Gail and Edward Walker. ?Nationalism, Regionalism, and Federalism: Center

Periphery Relations in Post Communist Russia.? In Lapidus, ed., The New Russia. (Boulder:

Westview Press, 1995): 79-113.

Shevtsova, Lilia. ?The Two Sides of The New Russia.? Journal of Democracy. 6 (July 1995): 41-55.

Smitter, Phillipe C. ?Dangers And Dilemmas Of Democracy.? Journal of Democracy,