Russian Democracy Failure

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The Failure of Democracy: Russia vs France (1392 Words) The state of Russian democracy is lamentable with a government that is very similar to its Soviet-era predecessor. The Freedom house index which measures political rights and civil liberties places the current “democratic” regime in the same category as the soviet regime as “not free”. The reason for the failure of Russian democracy is not readily apparent as when compared to a nation such as France, which is listed as “free” by Freedom House, the two share great similarity in terms of political organization; both nations have a semi-presidential system. The answer lies in an assessment of the differences in democratic values between the two nations. The primary contributor to the failure …show more content…

Such a diverse array of expectations is evidence that the French are concerned with qualities of a leader beyond his performance in areas such as national security. Overall, the French public is much more reactive and inclined to shift its approval of a political leader and this indicates a deeper and broader interest and involvement in the governing of the nation. The history of Russian leadership has been characterized by strongmen who ruled with absolute power over a repressive and strictly enforced caste system. Starting with Ivan the Terrible, the system of serfdom was further institutionalized making it harder for serfs to escape their servitude. While Peter the Great instituted several reforms aimed at modernization of the army and education of the elites, his reforms had very little impact on the serfs. Nicholas I ruled by the fist and quickly suppressed any revolution making clear the fate of anyone who challenged the status quo. This tradition continued into the Soviet-era with leaders such as Stalin who aimed to increase the capacity of the state rather than to improve the lives of its people. This rough history with deep …show more content…

Democracy relies on a set of institutions such as elections and civil society to function properly. However, when there is little recognition of the importance of such institutions, they become vulnerable to attack by powerful executives. By exhibiting indifference to attacks on democratic institutions such as elections and civil society, the Russian people have allowed themselves to lose, in a large degree, key avenues through which they can express their voice. The Russian people’s prioritization of security through law and order over democracy has been exploited by Putin who emphasizes such priorities as an excuse for his infringement on democratic institutions. Stoner-Weiss expresses a similar sentiment in her article “It is still Putin’s Russia” saying, “The erosion of the content (if not formal institutions) of Russian democracy has been gradual, but it has been steady. Putin accomplished it in part by increasing the importance of the security apparatus in governing the country”. In the face of a public that does not recognize the importance of democratic institutions, Putin has been able to consolidate power and infringe upon democratic institutions without accountability leading to a nation that is formally democratic, but in reality has strong elements of

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