Governance and Reform in Gorbachev’s USSR

• In Event: Governance in Russia and USSR: National and Subnational Perspectives

Abstract

In this paper, I analyze political reforms in the USSR (1985-1989) to explore the motivation for the adoption of multi-candidate elections in authoritarian regimes. Some scholars assert that autocrats use elections to improve control over elites. Others argue that the introduction of elections in autocracies results from pro-democratic international leverage. In contrast, I suggest that governance can also motivate the adoption of more competitive elections in autocracies. I utilize the comparative sequential method to examine the introduction of multi-candidate elections in the USSR. Using newly available archival materials, I find that these reforms were primarily motivated by Gorbachev's concerns with the quality of Soviet governance, after a prolonged period of stagnation. My analysis demonstrates that by introducing electoral competition and empowering legislatures, the Soviet leaders hoped to enhance the accountability of regional elites and improve the quality of governance across the USSR. The broader contributions of this paper advance the scholarly understanding of Soviet history and authoritarian breakdown.

Author

• Dima Kortukov, U of Alabama