Institutions as battleground. Democratic implications of initial institution building in post-communist regimes (original) (raw)

This paper examines the initial institution building in post-communist democracies in Central and Eastern Europe, arguing that such institutions are not merely frameworks for governance but arenas of political struggle. It critiques the neo-institutionalist perspective for overlooking the dynamic nature of institutional choices during the democratization process and suggests that a redefinition of democracy is necessary. The authors propose a more nuanced understanding of democracy as a continuous negotiation among political elites, emphasizing the challenges faced by new democracies in maintaining legitimacy amidst power distribution and institutional weaknesses.