Vladimir Putin's landslide victory in a fake contest marks the latest phase in a transition from authoritarianism to outright autocracy One of the curiosities of the Soviet Union was the serious weight its leaders attached to holding elections. In a dictatorship, why bother? Academic studies concluded that ensuring a 99% vote share for the only candidate on the ballot was a useful tool for civic mobilisation, and a way of isolating and intimidating anyone who aspired to a real democratic choice....
The Guardian view on Russia's election: in Stalin's footsteps | Editorial
The Guardian - 18 Mar 2024 20:40
Vladimir Putin's landslide victory in a fake contest marks the latest phase in a transition from authoritarianism to outright autocracy One of the curiosities of the Soviet Union was the serious weight its leaders attached to holding elections. In a dictatorship, why bother? Academic studies concluded that ensuring a 99% vote share for the only candidate on the ballot was a useful tool for civic mobilisation, and a way of isolating and intimidating anyone who aspired to a real democratic choice....
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