{"product_id":"europes-last-dictatorship-u-s-democratization-efforts-in-belarus-von-unknown","title":"Europe's Last Dictatorship - U.S. Democratization Efforts in Belarus","description":"\u003cp\u003eSeminar paper from the year 2006 in the subject Politics - Miscellaneous, grade: 2,0, Durham University, language: English, abstract: [...] Since its official establishment in 1991, Belarus has struggled with the implementation of\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003edemocratic policies. The republic is a nominal democracy and was pursuing liberal reforms after\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003egaining independence, however, since his election in 1994, its current president Alyaksandar\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eLukashenka, was repeatedly able to expand his almost autocratic powers. The fact that most other\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003ecountries in Eastern Europe have democratized more or less like textbook examples makes\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eBelarus¿ autocracy a true exception. In this paper, the question will be answered why\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003edemocratization has so far failed in post-communist Belarus.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eTo answer this question thoroughly, it is indispensable to portrait the pre-transitional\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003ehistory and political climate in communist Belarus (section 2.), as well as the actual transition\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eprocess starting in 1989 (section 3.). The research then turns to the question of how and to what\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eextent external actors, especially the U.S. and Europe, engaged in democratization efforts\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e(section 4.). Eventually, the analysis of external and internal factors will answer the central\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003equestion of why democracy failed in Belarus (section 5.). It will be determined whether\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003einternational efforts have been made effectively and correctly, and also, which domestic factors\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eaverted a move towards democracy. The results found in this research indicate that international\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eactors failed to recognize Belarus¿ exceptionalism among democratizing Eastern European\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003ecountries and therefore virtually missed the crucial period in which democratization was still a\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003epolitical possibility for Belarus. Most importantly, however, internal factors were most\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003esignificant in the authoritarian development of Belarus. Weak traditions of democracy, statehood, and national identity made and continue to make the Belarusian people an easy target for\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003edictatorial rule.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eThe evaluation of the transitional process in Belarus will be based on primary sources such\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eas official documents published by U.S. and European government authorities. Furthermore,\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003epress releases, scientific journal articles, news articles, and information from book chapters will\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003ecomplete the picture.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"aw-variant-hidden-subtitle-div\" id=\"aw-variant-subtitle-9783640661121\"\u003e\u003ch3\u003e\u003c\/h3\u003e\u003c\/div\u003e","brand":"Libri","offers":[{"title":"Softcover - 9783640661121","offer_id":39426538897501,"sku":"9783640661121","price":16.95,"currency_code":"EUR","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0940\/0622\/files\/d532e620-5cce-4804-adb3-61c82239029d.jpg?v=1777696447","url":"https:\/\/shop.autorenwelt.de\/products\/europes-last-dictatorship-u-s-democratization-efforts-in-belarus-von-unknown","provider":"Autorenwelt Shop","version":"1.0","type":"link"}