Democratic Presumption: An Assessment of Democratization in Russia 1994-1998

Reviews the major developments in Russian political democratization since 1994, including the first series of truly free, democratic elections for parliament, the President, and governors; the conduct of elections; and efforts to establish political parties. The report also examines the extent to which Western assistance for democratization has made a difference in these processes- what has been done, how important assistance has been, and what lessons can be learned form Western assistance experiences.