Consolidating Democracy?: Democratic Political Culture in the Transitional Russian Polity

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Will democracy survive and flourish in Russia? Perhaps no question in contemporary politics is as important as the fate of Russian democracy. To the extent that democracy is consolidated in Russia, world politics is likely to be more peaceful, more humane, and less costly. In addition to the strategic importance of this question, the transformation of Russia raises important scientific questions. What factors contribute to the consolidation of democratic transformations, and how are these likely to change in the near future? What role do ordinary people (in contrast to elites) play in the processes of change? To what degree do Russian citizens support democratic institutions and processes; to what degree are they willing to trade freedom and liberty for security and economic prosperity? What factors contribute to the development of political tolerance--a crucial ingredient of democracy--and how might tolerance be fostered? To what extent does the existence of distinctive subcultures within a society make the development of democratic institutions and processes more difficult? Change in Russia produces a veritable laboratory for the analysis of democratization processes. This project seeks answers to these questions. In particular, the project extends existing research on the political culture of Russia through a new survey on the opinions of ordinary citizens. In conjunction with earlier surveys, analysis of changes in Russian culture will be conducted. On the basis of both longitudinal and cross-sectional analysis, the project will attempt to predict the likelihood of a democratic consolidation in Russia. Ultimately, the project seeks to contribute to theories of democratization by focusing on the all-important case of Russia.