Synopses & Reviews
Russia's Liberal Project analyzes the demise of Communism in Soviet Russia and the effort to establish a liberal democracy in post-Communist Russia as part of a single decade-long project of institutionalizing political liberalism. This project involves the formation of a civil society, the consolidation of a multiparty parliamentary system, the construction of an effective state structure built on liberal principles, and the formation of a post-Communist political culture.
Revealing the dynamic among these four components of the project, Weigle shows that, in the absence of a well-connected civil society, an effective political party system, and a liberal political culture, the Russian state was charged with establishing the foundations of a post-Communist liberal democracy. Although liberal institutions have been tentatively established, the weak social and cultural supports for the state-led transition threaten the future success of Russia's liberal project.
About the Author
Marcia A. Weigle is Chair of the Department of Government and Associate Professor of Comparative and International Politics at Bowdoin College. She is co-author of People, Power, and Politics (3d ed.,1993).