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Technocratic Populism in Hybrid Regimes: Georgia on My Mind and in My Pocket

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  • David Aprasidze

    (School of Arts and Sciences, Ilia State University, Georgia)

  • David S. Siroky

    (School of Politics and Global Studies, Arizona State University, USA / Institute of Sociology, Czech Academy of Science, Czech Republic)

Abstract

Most studies of technocratic populism have focused on democracies under stress (e.g., Italy, Czech Republic). This article builds on and extends these studies by analyzing a hybrid regime—post-Soviet Georgia—and argues that technocratic populism in this context is utilized as a façade to cover authoritarian and oligarchic tendencies, while suspending (or reversing) democratization efforts. The state apparatus is weaponized against current and potential political opponents. Ideology is irrelevant, loyalty is key, and passivity is encouraged. The government aims to chip away at institutional checks and balances, and to demobilize the public by undermining confidence in the country’s representative institutions while increasing dependence on experienced personalities, the ‘can do experts.’ The result is most often a stable partial-reform equilibrium. We illustrate this argument with evidence from Georgia, where Bidzina Ivanishvili, the richest man in the country, came to power in 2012 and, despite not holding any official position in the government since 2013, has run the state as a firm.

Suggested Citation

  • David Aprasidze & David S. Siroky, 2020. "Technocratic Populism in Hybrid Regimes: Georgia on My Mind and in My Pocket," Politics and Governance, Cogitatio Press, vol. 8(4), pages 580-589.
  • Handle: RePEc:cog:poango:v8:y:2020:i:4:p:580-589
    DOI: 10.17645/pag.v8i4.3370
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    5. Petra Guasti, 2020. "Populism in Power and Democracy: Democratic Decay and Resilience in the Czech Republic (2013–2020)," Politics and Governance, Cogitatio Press, vol. 8(4), pages 473-484.
    6. Petra Guasti & Lenka Buštíková, 2020. "A Marriage of Convenience: Responsive Populists and Responsible Experts," Politics and Governance, Cogitatio Press, vol. 8(4), pages 468-472.
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    8. Attila Bartha & Zsolt Boda & Dorottya Szikra, 2020. "When Populist Leaders Govern: Conceptualising Populism in Policy Making," Politics and Governance, Cogitatio Press, vol. 8(3), pages 71-81.
    9. Petra Guasti & Lenka Buštíková, 2020. "A Marriage of Convenience: Responsive Populists and Responsible Experts," Politics and Governance, Cogitatio Press, vol. 8(4), pages 468-472.
    10. Attila Bartha & Zsolt Boda & Dorottya Szikra, 2020. "When Populist Leaders Govern: Conceptualising Populism in Policy Making," Politics and Governance, Cogitatio Press, vol. 8(3), pages 71-81.
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    Cited by:

    1. Petra Guasti & Lenka Buštíková, 2020. "A Marriage of Convenience: Responsive Populists and Responsible Experts," Politics and Governance, Cogitatio Press, vol. 8(4), pages 468-472.
    2. Lenka Buštíková & Pavol Baboš, 2020. "Best in Covid: Populists in the Time of Pandemic," Politics and Governance, Cogitatio Press, vol. 8(4), pages 496-508.
    3. Petra Guasti, 2020. "Populism in Power and Democracy: Democratic Decay and Resilience in the Czech Republic (2013–2020)," Politics and Governance, Cogitatio Press, vol. 8(4), pages 473-484.

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