Lessons from Russia’s Protracted Transition from Communist Rule

Abstract

Despite the recent explosion of regime transitions throughout the world, social scientists have yet to develop a comprehensive theory of transition. Some transitions from authoritarian rule lead to the creation of liberal democracies. Others descend into civil war or end with the recreation of an authoritarian regime. Even within the set of successful transitions to democracy, some succeed in consolidating liberal democracies while others settle into patterns of democracy that are not fully liberal. How can we explain this variation? Russia's protracted transition from communist rule to democracy is especially puzzling, for this case over time is both an instance of a failed transition and a successful transition. The first two attempts at creating new democratic institutions failed. The third attempt appears to be succeeding. Why? A failed transition occurs a change in the political rules of the game precipitates abnormal politics or what Charles Tilly has called politics.1 Such moments occur one or more significant actors opt to pursue political objectives outside of the normal rules of the game. These situations become revolutionary two opposing groups claim sovereignty over the same territory and only end when a single sovereign polity regains control over the government.2 Russia's protracted transition from communist rule produced two such revolutionary situations. Mikhail Gorbachev initiated the first attempt to democratize the institutions of national government in the Soviet Union in 1987. This attempt ended in failure in August 1991, because the design resulted in violent confrontation between multiple sovereigns. The sec-