Caucasus Election Programs in the 1990s

Nani Chkhaidze compared the 1990s election programs of parties that won the elections in the South Caucasus. According to a "qualification scheme" (David Robertson, 1957), these are the differences between the countries:

• Democracy, social justice, welfare state expansion was most emphasized in Azerbaijan (followed by Armenia, than Georgia).
• Ecological issues were more popular in Georgian party programs, than there were in Armenia (and least relevant in Azerbaijan).
• Education expansion was also most popular in Georgia, again followed by Armenia and Azerbaijan.

Comparison across such countries are always hazardous, especially since party programs (and, arguably, elections) played a limited role, especially in the later 1990s. But the findings in ecology and education seem to support anecdotal evidence. In the environmental field, Georgia may also have the sense that it has more treasures to protect.

More detail is available on the CRRC website, but unfortunately only in Georgian.