1.

Record Nr.

UNINA9910809580303321

Autore

Way Lucan <1968->

Titolo

Pluralism by default : weak autocrats and the rise of competitive politics

Pubbl/distr/stampa

Baltimore, Maryland, : Johns Hopkins University Press, 2015

©2015

ISBN

1-4214-1813-4

Descrizione fisica

1 online resource (274 p.)

Classificazione

321

Altri autori (Persone)

WayLucan

Disciplina

323/.040947

Soggetti

Political participation - Belarus

Political participation - Moldova

Political participation - Ukraine

Democratization - Belarus

Democratization - Moldova

Democratization - Ukraine

Belarus - Politics and government - 1991-

Moldova - Politics and government - 1991-

Ukraine - Politics and government - 1991-

Belarus Politics and government 1991-

Moldova Politics and government 1991-

Ukraine Politics and government 1991-2014

Lingua di pubblicazione

Inglese

Formato

Materiale a stampa

Livello bibliografico

Monografia

Note generali

Description based upon print version of record.

Nota di bibliografia

Includes bibliographical references and index.

Sommario/riassunto

"Focusing on regime trajectories across three countries in the former Soviet Union (Belarus, Moldova, and Ukraine), Lucan Way argues that democratic political competition has often been grounded less in well-designed institutions or emerging civil society, and more in the failure of authoritarianism. In many cases, pluralism has persisted because autocrats have been too weak to steal elections, repress opposition, or keep allies in line. Attention to the dynamics of this "pluralism by default" reveals an important but largely unrecognized contradiction in the transition process in many countries - namely, that the same



factors that facilitate democratic and semi-democratic political competition may also thwart the development of stable, well-functioning democratic institutions. Weak states and parties - factors typically seen as sources of democratic failure - can also undermine efforts to crack down on political opposition and concentrate political control"--

"Focusing on regime trajectories across the former Soviet Union,  Pluralism by Default posits that political competition in "new democracies" has often been grounded less in well-designed institutions, democratic leaders, or emerging civil society and more in the failure of authoritarianism. Lucan Way contends that pluralism has persisted in many cases because autocrats lack the organization, authority, or coordination to steal elections, impose censorship, repress opposition, or keep allies in line. Attention to the dynamics of this "pluralism by default" reveals a largely unrecognized contradiction in the transition process: the same factors that facilitate democratic and semi-democratic political competition may also thwart the development of stable, well-functioning democratic institutions. National divisions or weak states and parties--typically seen as impediments to democracy--can also stymie efforts to crack down on political opposition and concentrate control. Way demonstrates that the features that have made Ukraine the most democratic country in the former Soviet Union also contributed to the country's extreme dysfunction and descent into war in 2014"--