Factors of Post-Socialist Stateness

Abstract

Stateness is the capacity of the state to exercise its fundamental functions. The collapse of the socialist system prompted the former USSR countries to ‘re-invent’ their stateness. The paper focuses on factors that impede or smooth stateness transformations in post-socialist countries. First, the paper examines internal and external factors of state formation in our selected countries. Next, it introduces empirical research vehicles and empirical findings that present alternative patterns of stateness and outcomes of state formation. The paper concludes with a detailed review of certain cases that may be considered prototypes of state formation for the post-Soviet countries.

Keywords: stateness, statehood, state efficiency, socialist states, post-socialist transit, new independent states, post-communism, democracy, regime transformations, state formation, nation building.

JEL Classification: Y80