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The Institutionalization of Relative Advantage: Formal Institutions, Subconstitutional Presidential Powers, and the Rise of Authoritarian Politics in Russia, 1994-2012
[journal article]
Abstract What role do formal institutions play in the consolidation of authoritarian regimes such as the Russian Federation? Oftentimes, it is assumed that autocrats, usually potent presidents, wield informal powers and control far flung patron-client networks that undermine formal institutions and bolster t... view more
What role do formal institutions play in the consolidation of authoritarian regimes such as the Russian Federation? Oftentimes, it is assumed that autocrats, usually potent presidents, wield informal powers and control far flung patron-client networks that undermine formal institutions and bolster their rule. After the institutional turn in authoritarianism studies, elections, parties, legislatures, or courts have taken center stage, yet presidencies and public law are still on the margins of this research paradigm. This paper proposes a method for measuring subconstitutional presidential power and its change by federal law, decrees, and Constitutional Court rulings as well as a theoretical framework for explaining when and under which conditions subconstitutional presidential power expands. It is argued that as a result of a gradual, small-scale, and slow-moving process of layering, presidential powers have been accumulated over time. This furthers the institutionalization of presidential advantage toward other federal and regional institutions, which in turn contributes to the consolidation of authoritarianism.... view less
Keywords
Russia; president; political power; authoritarian system; institutional change
Classification
Political System, Constitution, Government
Free Keywords
presidential power; comparative presidentialism; authoritarianism; Russian politics; post-Soviet studies
Document language
English
Publication Year
2017
Page/Pages
p. 472-495
Journal
Post-Soviet Affairs, 33 (2017) 6
DOI
https://doi.org/10.1080/1060586X.2017.1388471
ISSN
1060-586X
Status
Postprint; peer reviewed