Electoral Sources of Authoritarian Resilience in Russia: Varieties of Electoral Malpractice, 2007–2016
Journal: Griffith Research Online (Griffith University, Queensland, Australia)
Year: 2017

Elections do not always serve as instruments of democracy, but can successfully sustain modern forms of authoritarianism by maintaining political cooptation, signaling the regime’s invincibility, distributing rent among elites, and maintaining linkages with territorial communities. Russia exemplifies electoral practices adapted to the needs of authoritarian survival. Recent institutional reforms reflect the regime’s constant adjustment to emerging challenges. This study traces the evolution of t