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2004 Orange Revolution (view source)
Revision as of 11:16, October 30, 2009
, 11:16, October 30, 2009no edit summary
The '''Orange Revolution''' was the democratic political upheaval of 2004 in [[Ukraine]]. The presidential election of 2004 brought Ukraine to the brink of civil war. Scandal-ridden President [[Leonid Kuchma]] endorsed the candidacy of his Prime Minister Viktor Yanukovych, who was also strongly supported by Russian President [[Vladimir Putin]]. [[Viktor Yushchenko]], running on an anticorruption, anticronyism platform, led the opposition.
The '''Orange Revolution''' was the successful democratic political upheaval of 2004 in [[Ukraine]]. The presidential election of 2004 brought Ukraine to the brink of civil war. Scandal-ridden President [[Leonid Kuchma]] endorsed the candidacy of his Prime Minister Viktor Yanukovych, who was also strongly supported by Russian President [[Vladimir Putin]]. [[Viktor Yushchenko]], running on an anticorruption, anticronyism platform, led the opposition.
In September Yushchenko's health strangely deteriorated; he had been poisoned by the Ukrainian State Security Service, which left his face disfigured. The first round on Oct. 31 showed Yanukovych and Yushchenko with 40%. In the November runoff, the government declared Yanukovych the winner. Yushchenko's supporters charged fraud and staged mass protests that came to be known as the Orange Revolution. Massive demonstrations erupted; Yanukovych's supporters in the east threatened to secede from Ukraine (and join Russia) if the results were overturned. A new runoff was held on Dec. 26. Yushchenko won with 52% and was inaugurated on Jan. 23, 2005.
In September Yushchenko's health strangely deteriorated; he had been poisoned by the Ukrainian State Security Service, which left his face disfigured. The first round on Oct. 31 showed Yanukovych and Yushchenko with 40%. In the November runoff, the government declared Yanukovych the winner. Yushchenko's supporters charged fraud and staged mass protests that came to be known as the Orange Revolution. Massive demonstrations erupted; Yanukovych's supporters in the east threatened to secede from Ukraine (and join Russia) if the results were overturned. A new runoff was held on Dec. 26. Yushchenko won with 52% and was inaugurated on Jan. 23, 2005.
[[File:Ukraine-12-13-2004.jpg|thumb|280px|Canadian news magazine reports, Dec. 13, 2004]]
The outcome was the result of multiple forces: the old system was weakened by (1) competitive authoritarianism, (2) an unpopular leader, and (3) division among the armed forces. The factors that strengthened the democratic opposition, were (1) a successful opposition campaign, (2) the ability to expose fraud, (3) the means to communicate information about the falsified vote, and (4) the capability to mobilize masses to protest the fraudulent election.
Although the [[George W. Bush]] administration never targeted its financial resources at fomenting revolution, it spent more than $18 million in election-related assistance efforts in Ukraine in the two years leading up to the 2004 election.
Ukraine's Freedom House scores jumped from ''partially free'' in 2004 to ''free'' in 2005.
[[File:Ukraine-12-13-2004.jpg|thumb|270px|Canadian news magazine reports, Dec. 13, 2004]]
==Interpretation==
==Interpretation==
The deep divisions that have become evident under Yushchenko had their origins in Ukraine's regionalism, the "Kuchmagate" crisis, antiregime protests, and different attitudes to dealing with the past. The country is divided by linguistic and regional cleavages that appear sharply in regional polarization in national elections. These divisions have led to constant questioning of the viability of the Ukrainian state and predictions of violence and civil war. Secessionist movements have made few inroads, however, and violence has been nonexistent. Because the "minority" group in Ukraine is actually quite large, it has immense influence in the state without resort to regional autonomy or secession. The balance of power between Ukraine's regions and ethnic groups has ensured that neither side has dominated. This does not make for rapid reform, but it has created a stable state.
The deep divisions that have become evident under Yushchenko had their origins in Ukraine's regionalism, the "Kuchmagate" crisis, antiregime protests, and different attitudes to dealing with the past. The country is divided by linguistic and regional cleavages that appear sharply in regional polarization in national elections. These divisions have led to constant questioning of the viability of the Ukrainian state and predictions of violence and civil war. Secessionist movements have made few inroads, however, and violence has been nonexistent. Because the "minority" group in Ukraine is actually quite large, it has immense influence in the state without resort to regional autonomy or secession. The balance of power between Ukraine's regions and ethnic groups has ensured that neither side has dominated. This does not make for rapid reform, but it has created a stable state.
==Further reading==
==Further reading==
* Aslund, Anders, and Michael McFaul.''Revolution in Orange: The Origins of Ukraine's Democratic Breakthrough'' (2006)
* Aslund, Anders, and Michael McFaul, eds. ''Revolution in Orange: The Origins of Ukraine's Democratic Breakthrough'' (2006)
* Aslund, Anders. '' How Ukraine Became a Market Economy and Democracy'' (2009)
* Aslund, Anders. '' How Ukraine Became a Market Economy and Democracy'' (2009)
* Kubicek, Paul. ''The History of Ukraine'' (2008) [http://www.amazon.com/History-Ukraine-Greenwood-Histories-Nations/dp/0313349207/ref=sr_1_7?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1256898525&sr=8-7 excerpt and text search]
* Kubicek, Paul. ''The History of Ukraine'' (2008) [http://www.amazon.com/History-Ukraine-Greenwood-Histories-Nations/dp/0313349207/ref=sr_1_7?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1256898525&sr=8-7 excerpt and text search]