Irakly Areshidze
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Irakly Areshidze (born 1977) is a political scientist and author of "Democracy and Autocracy in Eurasia: Georgia in Transition", the definitive study of Georgia's Rose Revolution.
[edit] Biography
Areshidze's book provides a critical assessment of the Rose Revolution, which has been generally regarded as an example of a successful democratic transition in the former Soviet Union. Images of tens of thousands of people protesting outside the Parliament were broadcast throughout the world and have encouraged the impression that the Rose Revolution was a genuine revolt of the electorate that led to sweeping changes throughout the government.
Writing as an insider and leading authority, Areshidze provides compelling chronicle of the political developments in Georgia since 1989. He was a high-ranking political consultant in Georgia during the time of the revolution and therefore is uniquely positioned to tell this story, which draws on his in-depth understanding of Georgia's recent history and on his own involvement in the events that he recounts. Supported by nearly 100 interviews, Areshidze argues that the change of power in 2003 was not a step forward for democracy but rather a dramatic move backward. He contends that Georgia was well on its way toward democratic rule before the disputed elections of November and that the Rose Revolution actually subverted the nation's political evolution. Dubbing the alleged revolution "an extra-constitutional power grab," Areshidze reveals what went wrong in Georgia and why.
During the 2003 and 2004 parliamentary election campaigns in Georgia, Areshidze was a senior strategist for Georgia's New Rights Party.
[edit] Source Information
Much of the biographical information on Areshidze comes from the website of the Michigan State University Press.
