Eight Years after the Revolution of Dignity

This book views the Ukrainian Revolution of Dignity, from a broad systemic perspective, as an ongoing process in which societal, economic, political, and institutional developments are intertwined. The Euromaidan and further developments, especially the Russian aggression, accelerated the westward reorientation of the economy, strengthened institutional checks and balances (for instance, through decentralization), changed the main social cleavage from an ethnolinguistic one to a division between urban creative and “oligarchic” classes, reshaped identity towards formation of a political nation, and increased the role of modernizing forces, especially civil society. However, so far, the Revolution has failed to bring about, despite some progress, a critical mass of changes regarding the rule of law while much of the economy remains rent-oriented. If modernizing forces are prudently managed, Ukraine has a chance to move forward on an evolutionary path. Otherwise, new conflicts are possible.