Popular Support for an Undemocratic Regime

by Rose, Richard; Mishler, William; Munro, Neil

• ISBN13: 9781107009523
• ISBN10: 1107009529
• Format: Hardcover
• Copyright: 2011-06-30
• Publisher: Cambridge Univ Pr

Summary

All forms of government require popular support to survive, whether voluntary or involuntary. Following the collapse of the Soviet system, Russia's rulers took steps toward democracy, yet under Vladimir Putin Russia has become increasingly undemocratic. This book uses a unique source of evidence, eighteen surveys of Russian public opinion from the first month of the new regime in 1992 up to 2009, to track the changing views of Russians. Clearly presented and sophisticated figures and tables show how political support has increased because of a sense of resignation that is stronger than the uncertain economic reliance on exporting oil and gas. Russia is not only an outstanding example of popular support increasing for a government that rejects democracy, but is also representative of a surprising number of regimes around the world that have been able to mobilize popular support for undemocratic regimes. Richard Rose is Director of the Centre for the Study of Public Policy and Sixth Century Professor of Politics at the University of Aberdeen. William Mishler is Professor of Government and Public Policy at the University of Arizona, Visiting Professor of Political Science at the University of Aberdeen, and co-editor of the Journal of Politics. Neil Munro is currently a visiting lecturer in the Department of Asian Studies at the University of Edinburgh and was formerly a senior research fellow in the Centre for the Study of Public Policy at the University of Aberdeen.

Author Biography

Richard Rose is the Director of the Centre for the Study of Public Policy and Sixth Century Professor of Politics at the University of Aberdeen. William Mishler is Professor of Government and Public Policy at the University of Arizona, Visiting Professor of Political Science at the University of Aberdeen, and Co-Editor of the Journal of Politics. Neil Munro is currently a tutor in the Department of Asian Studies at the University of Edinburgh and was formerly a Senior Research Fellow in the Centre for the Study of Public Policy.

Table of Contents

List of figures	p. vi
List of tables	p. vii
Introduction: The need for popular support	p. 1
Democratic and undemocratic models of support	p. 11
Changing the supply of regimes	p. 27
Putin consolidates a new regime	p. 45
Increasing support for an undemocratic regime	p. 64
Individual influences on regime support	p. 84
Time tells: there is no alternative	p. 104
Finessing the challenge of succession	p. 124
The challenge of economic reversal	p. 142
Maintaining a regime - democratic or otherwise	p. 156
New Russia Barometer samples	p. 177
Coding of variables	p. 183
References	p. 186
Index	p. 204
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