Articles
ტომი 20, 1(29), 2025, Volume 20, Issue 1(29), 2025
© 2025

THE POLITICAL-ECONOMIC TRANSFORMATION OF THE POST-SOVIET SPACE AND CONTEMPORARY CHALLENGES

Authors: Gocha Ugulava

Meta keys: Political Economy; Institutional Reform; Post-Soviet States; Development Trajectories

J.E.L. Classification: P30, O57

DOI: https://doi.org/10.52244/ep.2025.29.11

For Citation: Ugulava G., (2025) The Political-Economic Transformation of the Post-Soviet Space and Contemporary Challenges (in Georgian). Economic Profile, Vol. 20, 1(29), p. 115-126. DOI: https://doi.org/10.52244/ep.2025.29.11

annotation.

The political and economic transformation of the post-Soviet space represents one of the most extensive and complex developments in the contemporary system of international relations. Following the dissolution of the Soviet Union, newly independent states entered a turbulent period of political, social, and economic transition, the consequences of which continue to shape their domestic and foreign policies. This paper aims to analyze the transformation processes in post-Soviet countries, focusing on the political-economic dynamics that define the region’s stability and development prospects.

Special attention is given to the models of interaction between the state and the market, the processes of liberalization and democratization, and the internal and external challenges these processes encounter. The paper also explores the geopolitical competition influencing the transformation trajectories of post-Soviet states—particularly in the context of the involvement of the Russian Federation, the European Union, China, and the United States. As a case study, Georgia (among other post-Soviet countries) is examined as a country that has implemented significant reforms but continues to face both external pressures and internal institutional challenges.

Methodologically, the research is based on comparative analysis and case study approaches, allowing for the identification of both general trends and country-specific characteristics. The analysis including political documents, economic indicators, and expert assessments.

In conclusion, the study outlines the key challenges and opportunities inherent in the political and economic transformation of the post-Soviet space, especially in the context of current global crises. These developments call for a reassessment of future pathways for regional stability and sustainable development.

Open PDF File

References:

  1. Acemoglu D., Robinson J.A. (2012) Why Nations Fail: The Origins of Power, Prosperity, and Poverty. – New York: Crown Business.
  2. Acemoglu, D., Johnson, S., & Robinson, J. A. (2001). The Colonial Origins of Comparative Development: An Empirical Investigation. American Economic Review, 91(5), 1369–1401.
  3. Åslund, A. (2007). How Capitalism Was Built. Cambridge University Press.
  4. Besley T., Persson T. Pillars of Prosperity: The Political Economics of Development Clusters. – Princeton: Princeton University Press, 2011.
  5. Drazen A. Political Economy in Macroeconomics. – Princeton: Princeton University Press, 2000.
  6. Fish, M. S. (2005). Democracy derailed in Russia: The failure of open politics. Cambridge University Press.
  7. Fukuyama F. (2014) Political Order and Political Decay: From the Industrial Revolution to the Globalization of Democracy. – New York: Farrar, Straus and Giroux.
  8. Hale, H. E. (2015). Patronal Politics: Eurasian Regime Dynamics in Comparative Perspective. Cambridge University Press.
  9. Hellman, J. S. (1998). Winners take all: The politics of partial reform in postcommunist transitions. World Politics, 50(2), 203–234.
  10. Kitschelt, H., & Wilkinson, S. I. (2007). Patrons, clients and policies: Patterns of democratic accountability and political competition. Cambridge University Press.
  11. Levitsky, S., & Way, L. A. (2010). Competitive authoritarianism: Hybrid regimes after the Cold War. Cambridge University Press.
  12. Luong, P. J., & Weinthal, E. (2010). Oil Is Not a Curse. Cambridge University Press.
  13. North, D. C. (1990). Institutions, Institutional Change and Economic Performance. Cambridge University Press.
  14. Persson, T., & Tabellini, G. (2000). Political Economics: Explaining Economic Policy. MIT Press.
  15. Polanyi, K. (2001). The Great Transformation. Beacon Press.
  16. Pomfret, R. (2019). The Central Asian economies in the twenty-first century: Paving a new Silk Road. Princeton University Press.
  17. Pop-Eleches, G., & Tucker, J. A. (2017). Communism’s shadow: Historical legacies and contemporary political attitudes. Princeton University Press.
  18. Robinson, N. (2011). The political economy of Russia. Rowman & Littlefield Publishers.
  19. Rodrik D. (2020) Straight Talk on Trade: Ideas for a Sane World Economy. – Princeton: Princeton University Press.
  20. Sachs J. (2015) The Age of Sustainable Development. – New York: Columbia University Press.
  21. Way, L. A. (2015). Pluralism by Default: Weak Autocrats and the Rise of Competitive Politics. Johns Hopkins University Press.