After 70 years of communism, the truly extraordinary fact is that Russians are choosing their leaders in competitive democratic elections. Despite dramatic election abuses, most Russian citizens were able to vote for the candidate of their choice without fear of consequences. Second, democratic processes are taking root in Russia. Despite history, culture, and recent national experience that make Russia rocky soil for democratic seeds, Russia's fledgling democratic experiment survives. Third, counter to the prognosis of many doomsayers, election results demonstrate that extremists have been marginalized.
Elections put ideas and slogans to a market test.
In the past decade, Russians have experienced prolonged economic depression. An emerging middle class was devastated in August 1998 by the double devaluation and default. These conditions resemble those of Europe during the 1930s when fascism arose. Nonetheless, fascists, anti-Semites, and other extreme groups have attracted little support in Sunday's election. Russia's most prominent extremist, Vladimir Zhirinovsky, not only moderated his statements and positions during the Duma campaign, but declared that his party will join Unity and Union of Right Forces in supporting the Putin government.