Comments on: Russia’s Passionate Appeal for Authoritarianism http://registan.net/index.php/2005/08/16/russias-passionate-appeal-for-authoritarianism/ All Central Asia, All The Time Fri, 25 May 2012 03:15:21 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 By: ComingAnarchy.com » Blog Archive » Carnival of Revolutions is Here http://registan.net/index.php/2005/08/16/russias-passionate-appeal-for-authoritarianism/comment-page-1/#comment-56878 ComingAnarchy.com » Blog Archive » Carnival of Revolutions is Here Mon, 22 Aug 2005 13:59:01 +0000 http://www.registan.net/?p=5839#comment-56878 [...] has chosen a date for its presidential election. Russia Registan notes Russia’s caveat against forcing democracy on CIS countries. Americas Boliva Global Voice puts the spotlight on what [...] [...] has chosen a date for its presidential election. Russia Registan notes Russia’s caveat against forcing democracy on CIS countries. Americas Boliva Global Voice puts the spotlight on what [...]

]]> By: Matt W http://registan.net/index.php/2005/08/16/russias-passionate-appeal-for-authoritarianism/comment-page-1/#comment-55317 Matt W Tue, 16 Aug 2005 22:37:25 +0000 http://www.registan.net/?p=5839#comment-55317 I've also been struck by the propensity of many Russians to assert that democracy doesn't really exist anywhere-- taking a "so hey, why should we even try?" attitude. They think it's all money power and hidden oligarchic interests and act as though there cannot be a middle ground or degrees of democracy. And since the standard view is that the "little nations", as Stalin began to call the smaller republics back in his days as Commissar of Nationalities, can't do anything on their own, then there must be some hidden hand behind everything that goes on there. Since this gets broadcasted on Russian television to the exclusion of other views, it's really damaging for elite perceptions in the countries that rely on Russian TV only for their news. I just got back from some time in Ukraine, which seems to be doing really well. Hopefully, at least some of the color revolutions will yield a former Soviet republic that, in 10 years or so, is doing undeniably better than Russia. Maybe seeing that will jar them out of their paranoid, autocratic downward spiral. I’ve also been struck by the propensity of many Russians to assert that democracy doesn’t really exist anywhere– taking a “so hey, why should we even try?” attitude. They think it’s all money power and hidden oligarchic interests and act as though there cannot be a middle ground or degrees of democracy.

And since the standard view is that the “little nations”, as Stalin began to call the smaller republics back in his days as Commissar of Nationalities, can’t do anything on their own, then there must be some hidden hand behind everything that goes on there. Since this gets broadcasted on Russian television to the exclusion of other views, it’s really damaging for elite perceptions in the countries that rely on Russian TV only for their news.

I just got back from some time in Ukraine, which seems to be doing really well. Hopefully, at least some of the color revolutions will yield a former Soviet republic that, in 10 years or so, is doing undeniably better than Russia. Maybe seeing that will jar them out of their paranoid, autocratic downward spiral.

]]> By: Oneworld Multimedia http://registan.net/index.php/2005/08/16/russias-passionate-appeal-for-authoritarianism/comment-page-1/#comment-55314 Oneworld Multimedia Tue, 16 Aug 2005 21:13:22 +0000 http://www.registan.net/?p=5839#comment-55314 <strong>Russia’s Passionate Appeal for Authoritarianism</strong> Registan.net has a fascinating post on Russian concerns about what it considers to be the “forced democratization” of the former Soviet space. In fact, according to the blog, quoting MosNews, it has actually issued a warning. We cannot ag... Russia’s Passionate Appeal for Authoritarianism

Registan.net has a fascinating post on Russian concerns about what it considers to be the “forced democratization” of the former Soviet space. In fact, according to the blog, quoting MosNews, it has actually issued a warning.
We cannot ag…

]]> By: Brian http://registan.net/index.php/2005/08/16/russias-passionate-appeal-for-authoritarianism/comment-page-1/#comment-55270 Brian Tue, 16 Aug 2005 19:17:46 +0000 http://www.registan.net/?p=5839#comment-55270 It's really common to think that democracy leads to the rise of extremism, because democracy necessitates free speech which means extremist movments can openly tout their message and run for office. But I think the evidence doesn't support this. Where Islamic countries have had relatively free, open elections violent extremist movments have done rather poorly. In Indonesia's recent election the fundamentalist Islamic parties only scored in the single digits. Futhermore it's seen by Hamas's rather low scores in the recent Palestinian elections that when given a reasonable, positive alternative, most people will tend not to vote extremist. Same thing in Lebanon. Even in Iraq, you can definitely argue that the people didn't want to usher in a strong Islamic government with their votes. Kyrgyzstan's recent election is an anomaly, but note that strong Islamist parties or groups did not really gain any traction... through the electoral process or otherwise. The way to get to a democratic-type government is open for debate, and there are always exceptions, but I think if a country can get to the point where it can pull off a stable, open election they'll generally have moderation, not extremism voted in. It’s really common to think that democracy leads to the rise of extremism, because democracy necessitates free speech which means extremist movments can openly tout their message and run for office. But I think the evidence doesn’t support this. Where Islamic countries have had relatively free, open elections violent extremist movments have done rather poorly. In Indonesia’s recent election the fundamentalist Islamic parties only scored in the single digits. Futhermore it’s seen by Hamas’s rather low scores in the recent Palestinian elections that when given a reasonable, positive alternative, most people will tend not to vote extremist. Same thing in Lebanon. Even in Iraq, you can definitely argue that the people didn’t want to usher in a strong Islamic government with their votes. Kyrgyzstan’s recent election is an anomaly, but note that strong Islamist parties or groups did not really gain any traction… through the electoral process or otherwise.

The way to get to a democratic-type government is open for debate, and there are always exceptions, but I think if a country can get to the point where it can pull off a stable, open election they’ll generally have moderation, not extremism voted in.

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