Democratization and Instability in Ukraine, Georgia, and Belarus

This monograph analyzes the interconnections between the democratization institutionalization of the newly independent states on the examples of Ukraine, Georgia, and Belarus, their political (in)stability, and economic development and prosperity. By introducing the concept of regime mimicry into the field of public administration, this monograph extends the epistemological frameworks of the democratization school to the phenomenon of political culture. Successes and failures of the democratic institutionalization processes in these countries largely depend on the ways their institutional actors reacted to internal and external disturbances of their domestic political, economic and cultural environments. While Georgia’s political culture revealed the highest degree of flexibility in accepting the externally-proposed institutional frameworks and practices, the bifurcate political culture in Ukraine impeded its democratic institutionalization, while the rigid political culture in Belarus completely stalled the process of institutional transformations.

The three patterns of political cultures identified in the monograph can be easily generalized and applied in most instances of new nation-building projects. The recommendations for the U.S. military and the government produced by this analysis provide the roadmap for short- and long-term partnerships in the countries of post-Soviet space. Students pursuing coursework and research for assignments relating to Public Administration, American Foreign Affairs, United States Defense Establishment, Comparative Governments, Military Science, or Comparative Politics may be interested in this resource.