Abstract
This section presents a series of case studies of ‘Color Revolutions’. It outlines the most important features of the events and situates them within the political context. As a working definition, we refer to Color Revolutions as counter-elite-led, non-violent mass protests following fraudulent elections in Eurasian post-socialist countries in transition. Some have been successful, in the sense that they removed the existing state leadership (>successful cases); others failed to achieve that goal (>attempted cases). Thus, the label ‘success’ does not imply any characteristics of the resulting post-revolutionary government or achievements towards a consolidated political system. Eight cases will be discussed: Serbia, Georgia, Ukraine, and Kyrgyzstan form the ‘successful’ group; Armenia, Azerbaijan, Belarus, and Russia represent the ‘attempted’ cases of Color Revolutions.
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Notes
- 1.
For the progress of Serbia’s EU accession and membership status, see the information on the website of the European Commission, http://ec.europa.eu/enlargement/countries/detailed-country-information/serbia/index_en.htm.
- 2.
Zurab Zhvania was found dead (along with Raul Usupov, a young regional leader), in a rented Tbilisi apartment on February 3, 2005. The official cause of the deaths was carbon-monoxide poisoning from a faulty gas heater, which has been widely disputed and is currently (spring 2014) under investigation, s. http://en.ria.ru/world/20140116/186593017/Body-of-Former-Georgian-PM-to-be-Exhumed-in-New-Death-Inquiry.html.
- 3.
The report was ordered by the Council of the European Union. Ambassador Heidi Tagliavini served as head of the Independent International Fact-Finding Mission on the Conflict in Georgia (IIFFMCG—CEIIG). The final report can be downloaded, http://www.ceiig.ch.
- 4.
For the latest developments in Georgian politics and prosecutions (including on the death of former prime minister Zurab Zhvania, starting with Saakashvili leaving office, see an analysis in The Economist, http://www.economist.com/news/europe/21588949-georgia-elects-new-less-powerful-president-end-saakashvilis-reign and in Radio Free Europe/ Radio Liberty, http://www.rferl.org/content/georgia-ivanishvili-zhvania-death-saakashvili-charges/25144205.html.
- 5.
Political violence and secession of southern and eastern regions have become severe issues undermining Ukraine’s territorial integrity following mass protests in Kiev and other Ukrainian cities in 2013/2014. The initial trigger of the demonstrations was President Viktor Yanukovych’s refusal to sign an association agreement with the European Union, in order not to harm the economic integration in the framework of the Russia-led Customs Union. However, the initially pro-European demonstrations unfolded dynamics that fueled tensions between inner-Ukrainian identities, and between a newly installed government in Kiev and ‘western’ supporters, and emerging Ukrainian separatists and Moscow. It eventually led to the secession of Crimea and Sevastopol, and their incorporation or annexation into the Russian Federation in March 2014. Further regions, particularly in the east of the country, seek for independence from Kiev, and allegedly, some of them for integration into the Russian Federation.
- 6.
For an overview on the events until the end of April 2014, see coverage by BBC: The Ukraine crisis timeline, http://www.bbc.com/news/world-middle-east-26248275.
- 7.
For information on the prosecution, see coverage by BBC, http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-asia-21424022.
- 8.
The resignation of President Ter-Petrosian in favor of his successor Robert Kocharian was due to pressure from the elite circle around him, not from an external counter-elite or mass protests on the streets (Zolyan 2010: 89).
- 9.
For information on the events, see coverage by Reuters, http://www.reuters.com/article/2013/02/20/us-armenia-protest-idUSBRE91J0XM20130220.
- 10.
For information on the protests and political development, see coverage by Reuters, http://www.reuters.com/article/2013/10/12/us-azerbaijan-election-protest-idUSBRE99B06Q20131012.
- 11.
For information on these protests, see coverage by The New York Times, http://www.nytimes.com/2011/07/04/world/europe/04belarus.html.
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Gerlach, J. (2014). Mapping Color Revolutions. In: Color Revolutions in Eurasia. SpringerBriefs in Political Science. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-07872-4_2
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-07872-4_2
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