Electoral (Competitive) Authoritarianism in Russia
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31 Terms
Russia regime type?
Electoral / competitive authoritarianism
Key feature vs democracy?
Uneven playing field despite elections
Core regime pathologies?
Fraudulent elections, dominant party, censored media, weak courts, corruption
What is superpresidentialism?
Extreme presidential power, makes losing politically dangerous
What is subnational authoritarianism?
Regional leaders control areas in exchange for loyal voting
What is United Russia?
Dominant pro-Kremlin party controlling parliament
Role of United Russia?
Electoral machine with no real autonomy
3 pillars of regime stability?
Economic benefits, fear, propaganda
“Carrots” in 2000s Russia?
Economic growth + material benefits
“Sticks” in Russia?
Fear of instability + repression threat
“Lies” mechanism?
State media monopoly + propaganda (“virtual politics”)
Why was 1996 important?
Elites chose unfair elections to avoid losing power
What changed under Putin?
Centralisation + elite control + regime consolidation
Who is the key leader?
Vladimir Putin
What triggered 2011 crisis?
Election fraud + urban protests
Why did equilibrium break?
Middle class no longer satisfied with economic “carrots”
2014 turning point?
Annexation of Crimea
Effect of 2014?
Increased nationalism + repression + propaganda shift
Post-2014 regime strategy?
“Fear + propaganda” intensification
Emergence of regime (1990s)?
Failed democratization + elite survival strategy
1996 key decision?
Chose controlled elections over risk of losing power
Consolidation phase?
2000s centralization under Putin
Main tools of consolidation?
Party building + regional control
Decline signals (2011–2012)?
Mass protests + legitimacy drop
Why important?
End of easy “economic legitimacy”
Future scenario 1?
Status quo (managed decay)
Future scenario 2?
“Iron fist” full dictatorship
Risk of iron fist?
Elite conflict + coercive failure
Future scenario 3?
Gradual democratization
Key vulnerability: preference falsification?
People hide true opinions until crisis
Why is coercion risky shift?
Repression apparatus may be unreliable if mass violence needed