Central Asia: Between Stability and Instability

The newly independent countries of Central Asia were eager to integrate their economies with the global economy. This required not only the dismantling of the state-controlled economy but also ushering in some form of democracy, free press and independent civil society. Beginning with 1991, the leadership in Central Asia tried to shed the tag of being Communist Party leaders and sought political legitimacy on the basis of nationalism and democracy. As a result, the initial years following independence saw some progress away from the Soviet political system.But later this trend weakened and most states moved to a more authoritarian system. Some scholars argue that this is due to the enduring Soviet political culture. This could be so; but after nearly 26 years, everything cannot be attributed to Soviet legacy. This article argues that Central Asian states are strongly influenced by the current developments within and outside. The continuation of authoritarianism has been possible because of popular support for the leader as a symbol of stability. However, there are factors that could change popular perception and shake the edifice of the current system.