When one asks civic leaders in the Kyrgyz Republic (Kyrgyzstan) to characterize the state’s relationship to their charity, union, or club, one nearly always hears “ne meshaet, ne pomogaet” or “does ...not bother, does not help.”¹ In other words, the government neither interferes with their activities nor provides support for them. The phrase offers a window into the state’s behavior, and it also reveals the expectations of societal actors. Namely, government authorities have the means to hamper civic activities, but instead they should be actively supporting them. In fact, civic leaders in Kyrgyzstan desire assistance from the state, even though
In the wake of the Cold War, democracy has gained the status of a mantra. Yet there is no consensus about how to conceptualize and measure regimes such that meaningful comparisons can be made through ...time and across countries. In this prescriptive article, we argue for a new approach to conceptualization and measurement. We first review some of the weaknesses among traditional approaches. We then lay out our approach, which may be characterized as historical,multidimensional,disaggregated, and transparent. We end by reviewing some of the payoffs such an approach might bring to the study of democracy.
FAMILIES McMann, Kelly M
Corruption as a Last Resort,
10/2014
Book Chapter
Odprti dostop
“In difficult times I turn to Kanat,” Marzhan said, referring to how she relied on her uncle, the successful private farmer, to resolve her problems and avoid engaging in corruption.¹ Like Marzhan, ...individuals in Kazakhstan and Kyrgyzstan turn primarily to family members for assistance, more so than to other personal contacts, such as friends and neighbors. Yet, only some people have relatively well-off members in their extended families who can provide the employment, income, or credit that they need. While market reform, as well as the economic chaos of the Soviet collapse, impoverished many people, some managed to adapt and
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