The “party of power” as a type

Abstract

The post-Soviet “party of power” and the United Russia (UR) party have received increased attention in recent years, but it is not clear where they fit in comparison with other authoritarian parties. This article argues that by examining the relationship between the state and the party, and the degree of manipulation used to secure the party's dominance, we can move towards placing the party of power in a typological framework. Compared to other authoritarian parties, the party of power relies almost exclusively on the state for its political position, and is vulnerable to shifts in the state's priorities.

Keywords:

• ruling parties
• post-communism
• authoritarianism
• political parties
• Russia

Notes on contributor

Nicklaus Laverty received his Ph.D. in Political Science from the University of Massachusetts Amherst in 2014, specializing in post-Soviet politics and comparative political institution.