Varieties of authoritarianism in Central Asia

Abstract

This chapter introduces the reader to a variety of authoritarian discourses and practices in Central Asia since the collapse of the Soviet Union. With the partial exception of Kyrgyzstan, the Central Asian states have coalesced around an authoritarian model in which electoral processes are undemocratic and play only a limited role in determining policies and personnel. However, this chapter argues that this model masks a variance between the regimes in the region in how they use legitimising discourses, practices of security and surveillance of physical space, and their management and dominance of key business sectors. Despite the different approaches by each regime, the authoritarian model, with the exception of Kyrgyzstan, has proved resilient in Central Asia, ensuring its longevity.