Russia at the Crossroads
Logic and the End of “Imitation Democracy”
Deutsche Fassung
Abstract
Russia in 2008 once again has the chance to embark upon a democratic path. Since the dissolution of the Soviet Union, which contradicted the will of the people, and the unconstitutional dissolution of the Supreme Soviet in 1993, the Kremlin has followed the iron law of imitation democracy. Russia’s autocratic original sins force those in power to discard the separation of powers and to intensify control over society. Putin has created a way out of this vicious circle: By forgoing an unconstitutional candidacy for another term of office, he has taken a decisive step toward the “desacralisation” and the “depersonalisation” of power.
(Osteuropa 2/2008, pp. 3–16)