Illusory Transition? Elite Reconstitution in Kazakhstan, 1989 – 2002

Author: Murphy, Jonathan¹

Source: Europe-Asia Studies, Volume 58, Number 4, June 2006 , pp. 523-554(32)

Publisher: Routledge, part of the Taylor & Francis Group

Key:

- Free Content

- New Content

- Subscribed Content

- Free Trial Content

Abstract:

Changes in elite composition during the post-Soviet transition in Russia and Central and Eastern Europe have received significant scholarly attention, but corollary developments in other former `Communist' countries, including Kazakhstan, have attracted much less scrutiny, or have been attributed to organic features of Central Asian society. We examine the trajectory of the Kazakhstan elite in the light of three key perspectives on elite transformation: the first claims that the country has reverted to traditional clan social structures, the second proposes the conquest of power by a nascent `acquisition class', and the third argues that the Soviet-era elite was largely successful in maintaining power during the economic reorganisation. We find that Kazakhstan's experience most closely matches the third explanation.

Document Type: Research article

DOI: 10.1080/09668130600652092

Affiliations: 1: University of Cardiff

The full text electronic article is available for purchase. You will be able to download the full text electronic article after payment.

$38.49 plus tax Refund Policy