Elections, Protest, and Authoritarian Regime Stability: Russia 2008-2020

Regina Smyth's study shows that electoral competition matters to the Putin regime and that even weak opposition can force autocratic incumbents to rethink strategy and find compromises to win elections. The Kremlin expends vast resources to maintain a permanent campaign, including disinformation, symbolic politics, social benefits, repression, and falsification. This book reveals the stresses and challenges of maintaining an electoral authoritarian regime and provides a roadmap to understand how seemingly stable systems can fall quickly to popular challenges.

Format: Hardback
Length: 268 pages
Publication date: 29 October 2020
Publisher: Cambridge University Press

In a groundbreaking exploration of Russian elections, Regina Smyth delves into the profound significance of electoral competition for the Putin regime. She unveils how competition renders Russia more susceptible to opposition challenges than commonly perceived in the West. Through original data and meticulous analysis, Smyth showcases how even weak political opposition can compel autocratic incumbents to reevaluate their strategies and seek compromises to secure election victories. Challenging conventional perceptions about Putin's regime, Smyth highlights the immense resources the Kremlin dedicates to maintaining a perpetual campaign aimed at constructing regime-friendly majorities. This includes tactics such as disinformation, symbolic politics, social benefits, repression, and falsification. This book offers a revealing insight into the stresses and complexities of sustaining an electoral authoritarian regime, while also providing a roadmap for understanding how seemingly stable authoritarian systems can collapse rapidly in the face of popular challenges, even when the opposition appears weak. A vital read for comprehending Russia's future and the pivotal role of elections in contemporary autocratic regimes.

Weight: 554g
Dimension: 159 x 239 x 20 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9781108841207