OPINION: Ukraine between Scylla of autocracy and Charybdis of oligarchy
49
By Gennadiy Druzenko, CCD Cofounder & Chairman of the Board
The dilemma of oligarchy vs. autocracy, which Ukraine is faced with once again, is analyzed. Having the main features of the two systems briefly described, it is argued that both alternatives are dead-ends. Still, Ukraine has a chance to avoid these Scylla and Charybdis on its way to real democracy. A key is to create an active citizenry willing to comprehend, frame, and defend a “design specification” for their polity. However boring a constitutional theory might seem, it is only a broad public discussion on constitutional foundations of the Ukrainian state that is able to nurture real citizens in Ukraine. Only having perceived and agreed upon the state we strive to live in, do we have a chance to recapture power from the hands of oligarchs and “elected kings.”