Інституціоналізація політичної опозиції в країнах Балтії у період відновлення державності

Abstract

The availability of political opposition has become an inalienable feature of a democratic state. The organized opposition allows to represent the interests of citizens who do not support the decisions and actions of the governance. Thus, the opposition protects the political system from excessive civil dissatisfaction. Conversely, the absence of opposition forces, can lead to unregulated social protest up to violent forms of changing power. The nature of the relationship between the opposition and the government depends on the political mode that has developed. In a democracy, effective communication between the governance and the opposition ensures political stability and creates conditions for sustainable social and economic development. Under totalitarianism, the government severely suppresses any form of disagreement with the official course of the ruling class. In such conditions, the opposition is practically unable to actualize its role. Authoritarian political modes are distinguished by the availability of opposition, which however is difficult to actualize its potential. Authoritarian governance declares freedom of opposition activity, however, it often does not confirm relevant declarations in practice. In the second half of the 1980s, as the Soviet mode weakened, but at the same time, while preserving authoritarian practices, the opposition forces in the Baltic republics of the USSR began to gain political weight. The rapid growth of popularity among citizens allowed different opposition associations to organize themselves into popular fronts - mass political motions of national scale. The movement toward greater autonomy, and then independence was sup- ported by the intellectuals and dissidents. Ethnic Russians and natives of other parts of the USSR opposed the independence of the Baltic republics, but their influence on the general in the republican scales was insignificant. Ultimately, the consolidation of the opposition and part of the Communists around national interests allowed the restoration of the independence of the Baltic republics.