Suchergebnisse

An examination of elections in Russia focuses on the 1988 law allowing a choice of candidates, the 1991 election of political outsider Boris Yeltsin as the first president, & subsequent Duma & presidential elections. It is argued that the Dec 1999 & Mar 2000 elections offered little to substantiate existence of an institutionalized democracy. Rather, Yeltsin & his supporters managed to manipulate the elections to get the results they desired despite a dire economic situation that favored their opponents. Personal behavior that contributed to Yeltsin's plummeting popularity is described, along with increasing support for Vladimir Putin precipitated by an incursion of Islamic fundamentalists from Chechnya into Dagestan. A description of various political parties emphasizes that they were still weakly articulated in 1999. It is contended that Yeltsin's early resignation & his support of Putin, his head of state security & designated successor, were contrived efforts to place other candidates at a disadvantage, as were Putin's refusal to participate in TV debates, cultural influences, & serious problems in electoral organization & administration. 2 Tables. J. Lindroth

It was one of the defining features of the soviet system that it allowed no legal challenge to party dominance. Elections took place at regular intervals; but from an early stage they were based upon a single slate of candidates, the 'bloc of Communists and nonparty people'. Voting was not compulsory, but it was difficult to avoid – canvassers went from house to house, ballot boxes were set up in hospitals, long-distance trains and polar observatories, and constituency officials competed with each other for the highest turnout. In theory it was possible to vote against, but this meant using the screened-off booth in the polling station, since a vote in favour, with a single candidate system, could be cast without marking the ballot paper or even looking at it. Some called these 'Elections Paradise-style: as God said to Adam, "Here is Eve, the woman of your choice"'. Bertolt Brecht, commenting on the leaf lets that had been distributed in East Berlin after the rising of 1953 which announced that the people had forfeited the government's confidence and could 'only win it back by redoubled labour', put it more directly. 'Wouldn't it be simpler,' he asked, 'if the government dissolved the people and elected another?'

Europe's future will be shaped by one of two very different paths: either by the divisive intolerance that left Bosnia in ruins or by the democratic integration to which most nations in this region aspire. For the right choice to prevail, there is a challenge you must meet, a challenge the United States must meet, and a challenge we must meet together.

The word 'democracy' has predominantly negative connotations when referring to its practical implementation in Russia. However, Russians are favourable to the idea of democracy in principle, and support the establishment of genuine democracy in the country. Beliefs that elections ensure accountability of elected officials, allow public input on the policy direction of government, and give personal benefits to individuals would help to increase acceptance of the value of Russian democracy. A combination of factors, however, makes it doubtful that the current negative attitudes can be overcome quickly.

Cover -- Front matter -- Title page -- Copyright page -- Contents -- List of Contributors -- Acknowledgments -- 1 Introduction -- Part I: Elections in Russia and the USSR: A Historical Overview -- 2 Elections in Russian and Early Soviet History -- 3 Reforming the Soviet Electoral System -- Part II: The 1993 Election Campaign -- 4 Overview of the Campaign -- Part ill: Influences and Trends of the 1993 Campaign -- 5 Media Coverage in the Elections -- 6 Parties and Voters in the Elections -- 7 Stabilization or Stagnation? A Regional Perspective -- Part IV: The Framework of a New Political Order -- 8 The Development of the Russian Party System: Did the Elections Change Anything? -- 9 The Presidency and Political Leadership in Post-Communist Russia -- 10 The Legacy of Leninist Enforced De-participation -- 11 Conclusion -- Appendix: Electoral Associations and their Programmes -- Index -- Back cover.