Title Pluralism by default : weak autocrats and the rise of competitive politics / Lucan Way

Published Baltimore, Maryland : Johns Hopkins University Press, 2015 ©2015

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Description 1 online resource Summary "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"-- Provided by publisher "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"-- Provided by publisher Bibliography Includes bibliographical references and index Notes Online resource; title from PDF title page (ProQuest Ebook Central, viewed September 21, 2021) Subject Political participation -- Belarus Political participation -- Moldova Political participation -- Ukraine Democratization -- Belarus Democratization -- Moldova Democratization -- Ukraine POLITICAL SCIENCE -- General. POLITICAL SCIENCE -- Government -- Comparative. POLITICAL SCIENCE -- Political Freedom & Security -- Civil Rights. POLITICAL SCIENCE -- Political Freedom & Security -- Human Rights. Democratization Political participation Politics and government SUBJECT Belarus -- Politics and government -- 1991- http://id.loc.gov/authorities/subjects/sh92006578 Moldova -- Politics and government -- 1991- http://id.loc.gov/authorities/subjects/sh94005737 Ukraine -- Politics and government -- 1991-2014 Subject Belarus Moldova Ukraine Form Electronic book ISBN 9781421418131 1421418134

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