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Contends that Russia's weak & asymmetrical form of federalism impinges on democratic consolidation, suggesting that the 1990-1993 freezing of federal relations is a key to the current semiauthoritarian regime. Four factors have played roles in federal-level weakness: (1) the Soviet-era legacy of the hybrid ethno-territorial principle of federalism, (2) the 1993 Constitution's tenuous legitimacy, (3) the problem of ethnic secessionism, & (4) bilateral treaties & contract federalism. The relationship of federalism to democracy is discussed, noting Russia exhibits regional diversity in civil society development, electoral practices, & adherence to constitutional norms & exercise of human rights. Local & regional political & economic elites have taken advantage of federal weakness, with clientelism, patrimonialism, & corruption rampant. The lack of strong leadership on the part of the federal law enforcement undermines the Constitution & thwarts the development of legal culture, thus, democracy. It is concluded that the legacy of ethnoterritorial federalism has generated major tensions & divisions. Bilateralism is seen as an attempt to counter this asymmetrical form of federalism, but it undercut the Constitution, leading to ethnic secessionism & demands for legal separation, which resulted in Yeltsin conceding more & more power to regional elites in exchange for support. J. Zendejas

The scholarly literature on democratic transitions has largely ignored developments at the local level and the relationship between federalism and democracy. In this work I examine the development of federalism in Russia and I assess the impact of Russia's highly asymmetrical form of federalism on democratisation. The study shows that federalism far from promoting democracy has allowed authoritarianism to flourish in many of Russia's eighty nine regions and republics. Federalism and democratization in Russia exist in contradiction rather than harmony. In a vicious circle, authoritarianism at the centre has been nourished by authoritarianism in the region and vice versa. "Elective dictatorships" and "delegative democracies" are now well entrenched in many republics, and mini-presidential systems are firmly established in a majority of the regions.