Of late, the word “democracy” has figured rarely in the speeches of Russian politicians. Disillusionment with democracy is also rife among Russian citizens, and not only them. A rolling back of democracy after its tumultuous inroads in the late 1980s and early 1990s has been a global phenomenon. There are serious reasons for that, of which the most important has been that the democratic leaders were not always competent to deal with the situation. I am convinced, however, that there is no alternative to democracy.
“Russia must overcome excessive dependence on its leaders,” says Mikhail Gorbachev: President Vladimir Putin meets his cabinet in March
© JOHN FARR/SCHNEIDER-PRESS/SIPA/REX/SHUTTERSTOCK, ALEXEY DRUZHININ/AFP/GETTY IMAGES
Different countries come to democracy by different routes and practise its principles in different ways. Russia will have to build a democracy that takes account of and builds on its cultural characteristics, traditions, mentality and national character. There are, however, certain features without which a system cannot be democratic. Some of these are of particular importance for Russia because we cannot yet claim they are found in our present way of life. These are: regular, honest elections ensuring a periodical turnover of those in power; stable constitutional order and a balance of powers between the three branches of government; competition between political parties; respect for basic human rights and freedoms; a just and impartial legal system and a developed civil society.