Russians and their party system

White, S. (2006) Russians and their party system. Demokratizatsiya, 14(1), pp. 7-22.

Abstract

There are different views about the place of political parties in post-communist Russian politics. However, levels of trust and partisan identification are low, although much depends on the wording of the question and the timing of the survey. Levels of party membership are also low, at approximately 1 percent of the adult population in the author’s 2005 survey. Focus groups conducted immediately after the December 2003 and March 2004 elections confirm the gulf that exists between ordinary Russians and the political parties, and the negligible presence of political parties in much of the country. The heavy influence of the regime itself on Russian party politics has made them a part of Putin’s “managed democracy”. As long as this is the case, authentic citizen politics is unlikely to develop.

• Item Type: Articles
• Additional Information: Demokratizatsiya, 14, 1, pp7-16 2006. Reproduced with permission of the Helen Dwight Reid Educational Foundation. Published by Heldref Publications, 1319 Eighteenth St., NW, Washington, DC 20036-1802. Copyright © (2006)
• Keywords: Disengagement, parties, Russia.
• Status: Published
• Refereed: Yes
• Glasgow Author(s) Enlighten ID: White, Professor Stephen
• Authors: White, S.
• Subjects: D History General and Old World > DK Russia. Soviet Union. Former Soviet Republics; J Political Science > JA Political science (General); D History General and Old World > D History (General) > D204 Modern History
• College/School: College of Social Sciences > School of Social and Political Sciences > Politics
• Journal Name: Demokratizatsiya
• Publisher: Heldref Publications
• ISSN: 1074-6846
• Copyright Holders: Copyright © 2006 Heldref Publications
• First Published: First published in Demokratizatsiya 14(1):7-16
• Publisher Policy: Reproduced with permission of the publisher