Почему честные выборы не пустой звук

Полис. Политические исследования. 2015. № 5. С. 186–191.

Turchenko M.

The review discusses a book written by Pippa Norris (Norris P. Why Electoral Integrity Matters. New York: Cambridge University Press. 2014. 297 p.) who currently is the McGuire Lecturer in Comparative Politics at the John F. Kennedy School of Government, Harvard University. Her book seeks to answer the question what happens when elections violate the international standards of electoral integrity. The author basing on elaborate and diligent empirical study comes to some important conclusions about the ability of ordinary citizens to estimate electoral integrity and the political consequences of fraudulent or rigged elections. Firstly, ordinary citizens are usually aware of many types of electoral malpractices and therefore can make reasoned judgments about the quality of contests in their countries. Secondly, high level of people skepticism with regard to electoral integrity is linked to the legitimacy of a political system. Thirdly, lack of legitimacy entails certain consequences for patterns of voting and political participation, as well as, protest activism. Fourthly, doubts in electoral integrity can trigger political violence in some cases. Such an outcome is highly likely in hybrid regimes. Finally, fraudulent or rigged contests under certain circumstances can push changes in a political system itself. The reviewed work has a big deal in understanding the linkage between elections and political processes on micro- and macro- levels. The book, undoubtedly, will be useful to those who are interested in electoral studies, problems of democratization and understanding of protest political activity.

Keywords: выборы, демократия, democracy, легитимность, legitimacy, elections, политическое поведение, political behavior, политическое насилие, electoral integrity, electoral malpractices, честные выборы, электоральные злоупотребления, Political Violence