When Do Hybrid Democratic Innovations Work in Autocracies?: Investigating the Cases of Participatory Budgeting in Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan

• In Event: Authoritarian Politics in Central Asia: Adaptations and Innovations

Abstract

This paper examines participatory budgeting (PB) in Uzbekistan and Kazakhstan to assess whether it reinforces authoritarian rule or fosters citizen empowerment as a hybrid democratic innovation. Based on 36 interviews and secondary sources, the study finds that PB can be effective when it aligns with citizens' needs and incentivizes local authorities to support participation. The findings contribute to debates on democratic innovations in Post-Soviet autocracies by highlighting conditions under which PB enhances inclusion, deliberation, and impact.

Author

• Bakhytzhan Kurmanov, U of Central Asia (Kyrgyzstan)