Democratic evolution of Georgia and authoritarian cycles

Abstract

The role of authoritarian regimes in the development of democracy is assessed negatively. The purpose of the article is to determine the role of authoritarian cycles in the democratic evolution of Georgia, what has not been explored. Methods: case study, sociological, processual, historical –chronological approaches. Findings& Value added: there are three cycles of democratization and authoritarianism in the political development of Georgia. In contrast to the Gamsakhurdia’s regime, electoral authoritarian regimes of Shevardnadze and Saakashvili enhanced democratic potential of it. Democratic development is the process of accumulation democratic resources and the enlargement of democratic potential. The resources of democracy are the instruments of public control over authority, relevant behaviors and values, the totality of which generates the democratic potential of society: political and civil society, electoral system, free media, etc. Westernization of Georgian society is the main source of its democratization. In 2012, a constitutional change of the government moved Georgia into the third cycle of democratization which has not transformed into authoritarianism, due to the democratic potential of society. The paper concludes that the country’s democratic progress continued even in the authoritarian cycles. This research creates new knowledge of the impact of electoral authoritarian regimes on the democratic evolution of Georgia.