A great transformation of the former Soviet bloc has occurred in the last decade. All countries that opted for radical reform have accomplished something, while those that did not have largely failed. The initial reform strategy has been of fundamental and lasting importance. Countries have ended up either in a virtuous circle or in a vicious circle.
This is an important resource for policy makers and others forced to deal with countries where democratic change is both complex and protracted.
This book examines democracy aid programs relating to elections, political parties, governmental reform, rule of law, civil society, independent media, labor unions, decentralization, and other elements of what Carothers describes as "the democracy template" that policy makers and aid officials apply around the world.
The current problems of the functioning of the Kyrgyz state have been well analyzed in a number of studies. This report highlights the key problems in Kyrgyz and the key systemic changes that have not been accomplished so far.
Although President Bill Clinton himself warned earlier this week that Russia would pay "a heavy price" for its conduct in Chechnya Mr. Clinton has been unwilling to put the teeth in that rhetoric. Why? The United States, senior administration officials claim, has few levers to push. This stance is wrong.
Why did India bid for nuclear weapon status at a time when 149 nations had signed a ban on nuclear testing? What drove India's new Hindu nationalist government to depart from decades of nuclear restraint, a control that no other nation with similar capacities had displayed? How has U.S. nonproliferation policy affected India's decision making?
Texas Governor and Republican Presidential Front Runner George Bush began building his foreign policy reputation on November 19 by delivering a major address at the Ronald Reagan Presidential Library.
George W. Bush's November 19 speech at the Reagan Library represents the strongest and clearest articulation of a policy of American global leadership by a major political figure since the collapse of the Soviet Empire. In his call for renewed American strength, confidence, and leadership, Bush stakes a claim to the legacy of Ronald Reagan.
Belarus, although frequently overlooked in the West, is a country critical to the development of the post-Soviet states and to Europe as a whole. Its location alone points to Belarus's importance as a major geopolitical player. On top of that, the ambitions of its president mean that Belarus will likely have a say in the future of Russia, Ukraine, and other neighboring states.