Measuring Political Institutionalization: Conclusion

Abstract

The topic of institutional changes in the former Soviet republics and their implications for democratic transitions and consolidations has attracted significant attention of scholars throughout the world. Studies that investigate the development of political parties and party systems in the post-Communist countries underline the weakness and fragility of these political institutions. However, many explorations of the democratic institution building in the post-Soviet space lack a comparative perspective and fail to address the following important questions: Are there differences in the levels and dynamics of institutionalization of party systems in the countries that emerged after the breakup of the former Soviet Union? If so, what factors have caused relatively different degrees of political institutionalization in these nations?