The Baltics of the Early 1990s.

Between Democracy and Authoritarianism

Författare

• Priit Järve

Abstract

There are three alternative routes for the political development of the post-Communist countries. Firstly, there may be a gradual transition to pluralist democracy; secondly, there may be a new kind of autohoritarian regime; and thirdly, there may be continuous tension and ambivalence between democracy and authoritarianism. Democracy in newly restored small nation states suffers from double pressure. These states tend to give a higher priority to national independence than to democracy. On the other hand, the great economic powers tend to perceive these small states more as potential markets where not so much democracy but political stability matters.