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Post-Soviet Authoritarianism and the Spectre of Velvet Revolution Basees

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Published in Putin S Preventive Counter Revolution: Post Soviet Authoritarianism And The Spectre Of Velvet Revolution (BASEES/Routledge On Russian And East European Studies 82)

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Putin s Preventive Counter Revolution: Post Soviet Authoritarianism and the Spectre of Velvet Revolution (BASEES/Routledge on Russian and East European Studies 82)

Putin's Preventive Counter-Revolution: Post-Soviet Authoritarianism and the Spectre of Velvet Revolution (BASEES/Routledge Series on Russian and East European Studies Book 82)

by Robert Horvath

5 out of 5

Language	:	English
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The collapse of the Soviet Union in 1991 led to the emergence of a number of new states in Eastern Europe and Central Asia. Some of these states, such as Poland, Hungary, and the Czech Republic, quickly embraced democracy and market reforms. Others, such as Russia, Belarus, and Kazakhstan, have remained authoritarian.

The authoritarian regimes in Russia, Belarus, and Kazakhstan have used a variety of methods to maintain their power. These methods include:

Suppressing political dissent
Controlling the media
Rigging elections
Using violence and intimidation

These regimes have also benefited from a number of factors, including:

The legacy of Soviet authoritarianism
The weakness of democratic institutions
The lack of a strong civil society

Despite the challenges, there have been a number of attempts to challenge the authoritarian regimes in Russia, Belarus, and Kazakhstan. These attempts have taken the form of protests, strikes, and even revolutions.

The most successful of these attempts have been the velvet revolutions. Velvet revolutions are nonviolent revolutions that have led to the overthrow of authoritarian regimes in Czechoslovakia, East Germany, and Serbia. These revolutions have been characterized by:

Mass protests
Civil disobedience
Negotiations between the government and the opposition

The velvet revolutions have shown that it is possible to overthrow authoritarian regimes without violence. However, these revolutions have also shown that the process of democratization is often long and difficult.

The authoritarian regimes in Russia, Belarus, and Kazakhstan are facing a number of challenges. These challenges include:

Economic stagnation
Social unrest
International isolation

These challenges could lead to the collapse of these regimes and the emergence of democratic governments. However, it is also possible that these regimes will be able to adapt and survive. Only time will tell what the future holds for these regimes.

The post-Soviet authoritarian regimes in Russia, Belarus, and Kazakhstan are facing a number of challenges. These challenges could lead to the collapse of these regimes and the emergence of democratic governments. However, it is also possible that these regimes will be able to adapt and survive. Only time will tell what the future holds for these regimes.

References

Carothers, Thomas. "The End of the Transition Paradigm." Journal of Democracy 13, no. 1 (2002): 5-21.
Diamond, Larry. "The Spirit of Democracy: The Struggle to Build Free Societies Throughout the World." New York: Times Books, 2008.
Fukuyama, Francis. "The End of History and the Last Man." New York: Free Press, 1992.
Huntington, Samuel P. "The Third Wave: Democratization in the Late Twentieth Century." Norman: University of Oklahoma Press, 1991.
Levitsky, Steven, and Lucan Way. "Competitive Authoritarianism: Hybrid Regimes after the Cold War." Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 2010.

Putin's Preventive Counter-Revolution: Post-Soviet Authoritarianism and the Spectre of Velvet Revolution (BASEES/Routledge Series on Russian and East European Studies Book 82)

by Robert Horvath

5 out of 5