Imagined democracy? Nation-building and elections in Central Asia

Abstract

Is an imagined democracy more important than actual democracy for nation-building purposes? After 20 years of independence, Central Asian countries present a mixed bag of strong and weak states, consolidated and fragmented nations. The equation of nation and state and the construction of genuine nation states remains an elusive goal in all of post-Soviet Central Asia. This paper examines the role that electoral politics has played in nation-state formation. We argue that electoral processes have been central to attempted nation-state building processes as part of efforts to legitimize authoritarian regimes; paradoxically in those few countries where (for brief periods) partial democratization actually occurred, elections contributed, at least in the short term, to nation-state fragmentation.

Polity Diffusion and Regime Security in Central Asia

“…Furman's imitation democracy concept and Ó Beacháin and Kevlihan's imagined democracy concept are instrumental for explaining the ability of Central Asian political regimes to mimic democratic institutions and practices without actually applying them. Donnacha Ó Beacháin and Rob Kevlihan (2015) addressed the coordination and co-optation strategies that Central Asian nondemocratic polities use to mimic democracy in the eyes of the international community and the part of the domestic population, who care about democracy.…”

Simulating pluralism: the language of democracy in hegemonic authoritarianism

“…Both leaders talk about their 'meetings with voters' and thereby pretend a citizen-orientated style of governance. Political parties in Uzbekistan exist at the pleasure of the president, share similar agendas and have no real influence in the personalist regime (Bader 2009;Beacháin and Kevlihan 2015). Yet, both leaders claim the elections to be guided by democratic principles.…”

Nation‐Building in Central Asia: Institutions, Politics, and Culture

“…46 His statements frequently emphasized stability, patience, and the virtues of the Uzbek way and of authentic "Uzbek-ness." 47 The president was often depicted as a central figure in the country's cultural celebrations. 48 Equally central to his country's nation-building process has been Kazakhstan's former president Nursultan Nazarbayev, who announced his retirement from the presidency in March 2019.…”

“…The former president maintained power by a careful balancing of ethno-nationalist and civic-nationalist tendencies and by presenting himself as the father of the nation, all the while emphasizing economic development and managerial professionalism. 49 Significantly, in the state's official discourse, Eurasianist identity construction was ultimately attributed to Nazarbayev instead of being presented as a collective effort emerging organically out of historic and cultural orientation. 50 In 1997, the president changed the name of the city of Akmola to Astana, making it Kazakh's capital city and the new seat of government.…”