Central Asian Authoritarianisms

Abstract

Abstract The authoritarian trend has dominated in Central Asia since 1991, when its five countries acquired independence after the dissolution of the USSR. Despite their common origins, the political systems in these countries now display considerable differences. We account for these variations, and highlight the complexity of authoritarian politics in Central Asia, in three steps. First, we place them on the dual continuum of anarchy-democracy-dictatorship and libertarianism-liberalism-totalitarianism. Second, we discuss how authoritarianism has become the dominant trend in the region, and define the common trait of all these countries under the general umbrella of neopatrimonial authoritarianism. Third, we illustrate the oscillations of the regimes in the region over the past three decades by focusing on three elements that could explain the variations in authoritarianisms: leaders, elites and societies, and external influences. We conclude with some thoughts on authoritarianism’s prospects in Central Asia, and outline areas for future research.