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2017.03.001. ALEXANDER KOZIKOV. INSTITUTIONAL PRACTICE AND NATURE OF THE POLITICAL PROCESS IN THE STATES OF THE CASPIAN REGION IN MODERN CONDITIONS // "Vestnik Rossiiskoi Nacii", Moscow, 2015, № 15, P. 146-152.
Keywords: democratization, state, authoritarianism, Republic of Kazakhstan, Republic of Azerbaijan, Republic of Turkmenistan.
Alexander Kozikov,
PhD (Politics), Astrakhan
Modern political processes taking place in the post-Soviet states of the Caspian region are characterized by attempts to pass over to a democratic political system, the author writes. After the collapse of the USSR, the states of this region faced the problem of forming a new system of state organization and management. To solve the problems of transition to the democratization of their political space and for the further development of the state, it was necessary to form new institutions which would be effective and would entrench the foundations of the new social and political system. By the time of obtaining sovereignty, none of the postSoviet states was ready for democratic transformations. A certain period and forms of transition from a totalitarian system to a democratic one were needed. Historical experience shows that this implies first a gradual transition from totalitarianism to authoritarianism, and only after that the transition from authoritarianism to democracy. The post-Soviet states of the Caspian region took another way, trying to speed up the advent of the era of democratic development, having no necessary prerequisites for this. This affected the specifics of the process of forming effective institutions required by the very logic of creating a democratic state.
A. Kozikov considers features of formation of the basic political institutions, in particular, institutions of presidency,
parliamentarianism, free elections and civil society in the Republic of Kazakhstan, the Republic of Azerbaijan and the Republic of Turkmenistan. The first stage in the transition from a totalitarian political system to a democratic one was the stage of formalizing the constitutional foundations of these states. Within the frames of their constitutions, democratic principles were fixed as fundamental. The democratic, republican, legal, secular and social character of the state was established. Human and civil rights were recognized as the highest values. Political pluralism and diversity of opinions and assessments, private property, free and competitive elections were recognized. With certain common features, these processes have their own peculiarities in each of these states.
The researcher identifies five stages in the political process of the Republic of Kazakhstan
According to the President of Kazakhstan N.A. Nazarbayev, at the first stage - from 1991 to 1995 - from the moment of real independence to adoption of the Constitution of the sovereign Kazakhstan, the state focused on overcoming disintegration processes, forming the foundation of Kazakhstani statehood, moving from the dictates of the one-party system to political pluralism, creating the foundations of democratic development. During this period aggravation of the contradictions between the branches of power as well as within the elite there came about. The contradictions between the President and the Parliament were the most serious ones. They were being resolved by strengthening the executive power, capable of managing the processes of economic life.
A new stage, 1995-2000, became the stage of the process of creating the foundations of the modern political system in Kazakhstan. During this period the country set the course for introduction of the principle of separation of the power branches. Its advent was marked with the adoption in 1995 of a new Constitution of the Republic of Kazakhstan. It entrenched the transition to the presidential form of government. The presidency
became the leading political institution. In the country there were laid the foundations of the new statehood, there was formed a unified state power capable of regulating and directing public development, and a professional bicameral Parliament was created. The concentration of power in the hands of the president triggered growing public debates about some authoritarian features allegedly assumed by the Kazakh political system. During this period the program of democratization and political reforms in the country, set forth by the President N.A. Nazarbayev in his Message to the People of Kazakhstan in 1998, started being implemented.
The next stage of 2001-2005 was marked by the adoption of a 10-year strategic development plan for the country. In accordance with this plan, in the sphere of political and state construction for the period up to 2010, the emphasis was made on resolving a number of key tasks: creation of an effective system of interaction between the three branches of power; decentralization of public administration; improving the mechanisms of the electoral process; promoting the development of political parties and civil society institutions; strengthening of internal political stability; expansion of the rights and freedoms of citizens. An important role in political development belonged to a new political institute, established at the end of 2002, the Constantly Operating Meeting (COM) for developing proposals for further democratization and development of civil society.
The next stage of political reforming can be divided into two parts: the preparatory one and the practical one. The first one started in 2005 and ended in May 2007 with the adoption of amendments to the Constitution of the country. At that time, the main directions of political modernization were identified and determined. A serious step for translating the idea of political modernization into practice was the activity of the State Democratization Committee, set up under the chairmanship of the President. In particular, it was decided to expand the functions of representative power bodies: the Parliament and
maslihats of all levels. This strengthened the role of this branch of power in the state and political structure of the country. It was decided to form a government based on the party of the parliamentary majority.
The practical part of this phase began in May 2007, with the announcement of amendments to the Constitution. In a generalized form, the meaning of adopting these amendments was to continue political liberalization, to create a new system of balance between public and state interests. The amendments provide redistribution of power and responsibility in the direction of increasing the role of the parliament; strengthening the role of political parties; development of local self-government; improvement of the judicial system; ensuring interethnic harmony and strengthening the Assembly of the People of Kazakhstan; further development of civil society institutions; strengthening the system of protecting the rights and freedoms of citizens. Amendments to the Constitution provided the election of the president for 5 years instead of 7 years.
As for the Republic of Azerbaijan, A. Kozikov points out, in the process of analyzing the political process and the political transformation of the state, it is necessary to proceed from the consideration of the influence of not only internal factors but also the external prerequisites and conditions which are of great significance. It is customary to attribute the influence of traditionalism in the socio-political life of this state to internal factors. The external one is connected with the problem of Nagorno-Karabakh and other factors, especially oil.
The first stage of formation of the Azerbaijani statehood and democratic institutions turned out to be very controversial. The transition period in the formation of the Azerbaijani democracy was characterized by manifestation of anarchy, formation of a new political elite, the ongoing war between Azerbaijan and Armenia over Nagorno-Karabakh and the geopolitical situation of Azerbaijan. In such conditions the formation of new political institutions began. During the period
from 1991 to 1993, two presidents of the country, who found themselves under serious pressure from the masses demanding not only democratic reforms but also the victory in the war against Armenia, were replaced. In fact, the process of formation of political institutions of the state began with coming to power of the third President of the Republic of Azerbaijan, Geidar Aliyev. Coming of Geidar Aliyev to power was the result of compromises of almost all political forces, with the support of the society which awaited the leader capable to bring order to the country. An important feature of this process was that, in complex and contradictory conditions, a step away from "classical democracy" to a strong authoritarian power became a step towards the development of a democratic state and the establishment of order therein.
In 1995, the first Constitution of Azerbaijan was adopted in a nationwide referendum, and in 2002 amendments and additions were made to it. The amendments made to the Constitution in 2002 actually became the basis for the "legal continuity of power" in the Republic, as a result of which Aliyev's son Ilham Aliyev came to power in 2003. First, he became the Prime Minister, and later was officially supported by the current president of Azerbaijan, G. Aliyev, as his successor to the post of President of the Republic.
Despite the adoption of the Constitution of a democratic type, the Republic of Azerbaijan remains a semi-democratic state. The democratic political regime in it is still being formed. Firstly, a transfer of power in a democratic state cannot be exercised by appointing "successors", which happened in Azerbaijan, where the power was in fact transferred from the father to the son by inheritance. Secondly, there is a weakness of the opposition forces, as a result of which the pro-presidential party "New Azerbaijan" won the majority of seats in the new parliament.
The process of formation of the political system in the Republic of Turkmenistan is, as a whole, characterized by two
periods: the first is connected with the presidency of S. Niyazov, the second one - with the presidency of G. Berdimuhamedov.
Under the first President of the Republic of Turkmenistan, Saparmyrat Niyazov, the Constitution entrenching broad powers of the president, which became the center of state power of the country, was adopted. In addition to the president, the government and the parliament, a special supreme body of people's representation, the Khalk Masla-haty was created. Also, Turkmenistan's permanent neutrality was declared. Actually, President S. Niyazov established a regime of the lifelong power: first his powers, without elections, were extended for 4 years by the 1994 referendum, and in 2002 the Khalk Masla-haty proclaimed S. Niyazov (Turkmenbashi) the president of Turkmenistan for life. S. Niyazov's rule was completely reminiscent of a totalitarian regime, where the role of the head of the state played the leading role, and where no political parties existed, the people dissatisfied with the regime of Turkmenbashi were arrested and detained.
The second period is associated with coming to power of the new president of Turkmenistan, Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedov. This event had its own peculiarities: for the first time in the history of the Republic of Turkmenistan, elections were held on an alternative basis. Six candidates took part in them. At the same time, although Berdimuhamedov appeared to the Turkmen society as one of the preachers of democratic transformations in the country, he was in effect appointed as the "successor" to the then acting president S. Niyazov. At the presidential elections held in 2007 in connection with the death of S. Niyazov the victory of this candidate was highly probable.
In the years 2007-2008, under the new president G. Berdimuhamedov, a constitutional reform was carried out in Turkmenistan,. Its result was abolition of the supreme body of the People's Representation, Khalk Masla-haty. This allowed to proceed to the classical system of organization of higher bodies of power. Many norms that were in fact survivals of the
Turkmenbashi era, where the modern legal system combined with feudal traditions were removed from the Constitution of the country,. The principle of separation of powers was restored, a classical unicameral parliament, the Mejlis, was established. In these days the president calls for setting up the second official political party, which would make a pair to the ruling party - the Democratic Party. The coming to power of the new President of Turkmenistan was a turning point in the modern history of this republic. A new stage of democratic reforms has begun in the country.
The process of democratization in the states of the Caspian region in question has both specific and common features that do not always fit into the notion of "democratization", the researcher concludes.
The author of the abstract V.N. Schensnovich
2017.03.002. SERGEI ABASHIN. ISLAMIC CHALLENGE TO THE IDEA OF THE NATION? SOME CONSIDERATIONS ON THE EXAMPLE OF CENTRAL ASIA // "Cross-border Challenges to the National State", SPb., 2015, P. 375-387.
Keywords: nation, national state, Islam, Central Asia, Islamic Revival Party of Tajikistan, Islamic Movement of Uzbekistan, Hizb ut-Tahrir
Sergei Abashin,
Dr.Sc. (Hist.), professor, European University, St. Petersburg
The author considers the interaction of the idea of nation and Islam in modern Central Asia (hereinafter CA). National statehood has appeared in Central Asia relatively recently. The principle of national statehood was brought there from the imperial and later Soviet Russia, as well as from the Ottoman Empire, then Turkey, which, under the influence of Europe, was
