TRANSFORMATION OF POLITICAL ELITE IN AZERBAIJAN A THESIS SUBMITTED TO THE GRADUATE SCHOOL OF SOCIAL SCIENCES OF MIDDLE EAST TECHNICAL UNIVERSITY BY GÖKHAN ALPER ATAŞER IN PARTIAL FULFILLMENT OF THE REQUIREMENTS FOR THE DEGREE OF DOCTOR OF PHILOSOPHY IN THE DEPARTMENT OF SOCIOLOGY JUNE 2020 1 2 Approval of the Graduate School of Social Sciences Prof. Dr. Yaşar Kondakçı Director I certify that this thesis satisfies all the requirements as a thesis for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy. Prof. Dr. Ayşe Saktanber Head of Department This is to certify that we have read this thesis and that in our opinion it is fully adequate, in scope and quality, as a thesis for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy. Assoc. Prof. Dr. Ayça Ergun Özbolat Supervisor Examining Committee Members Associate Professor Dr. Zana Çitak (METU, IR) Associate Professor Dr. Ayça Ergun Özbolat (METU, SOC) Associate Professor Dr. Mustafa Şen (METU, SOC) Associate Professor Dr. Berk Esen (Bilkent Uni., IR) Associate Professor Dr. Seçkin Köstem (Bilkent Uni., IR) 3 4 I hereby declare that all information in this document has been obtained and presented in accordance with academic rules and ethical conduct. I also declare that, as required by these rules and conduct, I have fully cited and referenced all material and results that are not original to this work. Name, Last name: Gökhan Alper Ataşer Signature : iii ABSTRACT TRANSFORMATION OF POLITICAL ELITE IN AZERBAIJAN Ataşer, Gökhan Alper PhD, Department of Sociology Supervisor: Associate Prof. Dr. Ayça Ergun Özbolat June 2020, 247 pages This thesis explores the transformation of political elite in the context of post-Soviet authoritarian consolidation. The study is primarily based on semi-structured in-depth interviews and field findings are evaluated within a theoretical and historical framework. A common characteristic of many post-Soviet regimes is their reliance on hybrid regimes. By not rejecting democratic principles and practices altogether, these regimes differ from classical authoritarian regimes of the past century. In the case of Azerbaijan hybrid regime is associated with regional networks, patronage, and strict control of elite by controlling information flows. The changes and continuities between the rules of Heydar Aliyev, the founder of the authoritarian system and his successor Ilham Aliyev in terms of the structure and functioning of elite are also among the findings. While securing state authority was a priority during Heydar Aliyev, democratic rights and freedoms were relatively advanced despite the fact that democracy was not a part of the discourse. During Ilham Aliyev, monopoly of power was secured, but these rights and freedoms were severely curtailed despite the democratic discourse. Occasional changes of cadre occurring within the ruling elite serve authoritarian rule rather than representing a democratizing dynamic. Consequently, hybrid regime is characterized by a hybrid elite. In accordance with the elite theories, the primary role of the elite in defining the political system is affirmed. iv Political transformation is an elite-led processes, but this study also acknowledges that their construction can be better understood in the background of historical experiences. Keywords: Elite theory, political elite, hybrid regimes, post-Soviet, Azerbaijan. v ÖZ AZERBAYCAN’DA SİYASAL SEÇKİNLERİN DÖNÜŞÜMÜ Ataşer, Gökhan Alper Doktora, Sosyoloji Bölümü Tez Danışmanı: Doçent Dr. Ayça Ergun Özbolat Haziran 2020, 247 sayfa Bu tezin amacı Azerbaycan’da siyasal seçkinlerin dönüşümünü Sovyet sonrası dönemde otoriter siyasi sistemin pekiştirilmesi bağlamında incelemektir. Çalışma temel olarak saha çalışması ve yarı yapılandırılmış derinlemesine mülakatlar aracılığıyla gerçekleştirilmiştir. Saha verileri, kuramsal çerçeve ve tarihsel arka plan kapsamında değerlendirilmiştir. Sovyetler Birliği’nin dağılmasının ardından pek çok Sovyet mirasçısı cumhuriyette farklı şekillerde işleyen otoriter yönetimler ortaya çıkmıştır. Bu yönetimlerin ortak özelliği hibrit rejimlere dayanması, yani klasik otoriter yönetimlerden farklı olarak kimi demokratik söylem ve pratikleri tamamen reddetmemeleridir. Azerbaycan örneğinde otoriter yönetim, siyasal seçkinlerin bölgesel ağlar, bilgi akışının sıkı kontrolü ve patronaj ağları aracılığı ile birlikte anılmaktadır. Ayrıca babadan oğula iktidar transferinin başarılı şekilde gerçekleştiği ülkede otoriter sistemin kurucusu Haydar Aliyev ile onu devam ettiren oğlu Haydar Aliyev’in iktidarları arasında iktidar seçkinlerinin yapısı ve işleyişi bakımından süreklilik ve kopuşlar da bulgular arasındadır. Baba Aliyev döneminde devlet iktidarının güvenceye alınması öncelikliyken, demokrasi bir amaç olarak ifade edilmemesine rağmen fiiliyatta demokratik hak ve özgürlükler kısıtlı da olsa kullanılabilmiştir. İlham Aliyev döneminde ise iktidar tekeli tamamen kurulmuş, vi demokratik söylemin daha çok kullanılmasına rağmen uygulamada hak ve özgürlüklerin büyük ölçüde engellenmiştir. Ayrıca iktidar seçkinlerinde ve daha alt düzeyde gerçekleşen kadro değişikliklerinin demokratikleşme yönünde bir dinamik ortaya çıkarmaktan çok otoriter yönetime hizmet ettiği vurgulanmalıdır. Sonuç olarak hibrit rejimin inşası görünürde demokratik söyleme daha yakın, ancak uygulamada otoriter bir hibrit seçkin grubu ortaya çıkarmıştır. Siyasal seçkinler kuramının öngördüğü üzere seçkinlerin siyasal sistemi tanımlamada birincil konum sahip olduğu, yani demokratik veya otoriter sistemin inşasındaki aktörler olduğu varsayımına dayanan tez, bu inşa sürecinin tarihsel geçmiş ve deneyimler temelinde gerçekleştiğini de yadsımamaktadır. Anahtar kelimeler: Seçkinler kuramı, siyasal seçkinler, hibrit rejim, post-Sovyet, Azerbaycan. vii ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS I would like to thank to my advisor Ayça Ergun Özbolat. I cannot exaggerate what her knowledge, experience and patience has contributed to the completion of this dissertation. I also thank my committee members, Zana Çitak, Mustafa Şen, Berk Esen and Seçkin Köstem, for their insightful and constructive contributions. I also would like to thank Meryem Oruclu, for her assistance in introducing me to the field. The conversations we made with friend and colleague Leyla Sayfutdinova were also one of my sources of insight into the Azerbaijani society. These pages are not enough for the names of all Azerbaijani friends I have made during my fieldwork. My family has always been there for moral and material support; I hope I am finally able to fulfill their expectations. In fact, my family grew during my PhD study, and my wife İlknur Ekiz has been my best critique and supporter in the final years. viii TABLE OF CONTENTS PLAGIARISM ……………………………………………………………………... iii ABSTRACT …………………………………………………………………........... iv ÖZ ………………………………………………………………………………….. vi ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS ………………………………………………………. viii TABLE OF CONTENTS …………………………………………………………... ix CHAPTER 1. INTRODUCTION …………………………………………………....................... 1 1.1 The Structure of the Dissertation ……………………………………............ 4 2. THE METHODOLOGY OF THE RESEARCH .……………………………….. 10 2.1 The Fieldwork .…………………………………………………………….. 12 3. THEORETICAL FRAMEWORK ……………………………………………….19 3.1 Problematizing the Role of Political Elite in Democratization …….............. 19 3.2 The Inevitability of Elite: Classical Elite Theories ………………………… 23 3.3 Democratic Elitism: For the People, by the Elite …………………………... 32 3.4 Conclusion ………………………………………………………………… 41 4. POLITICAL ELITE IN THE SOVIET UNION …………………........................ 43 4.1 Historical Overview ……………………………………………………….. 45 4.2 Nomenklatura: The System of Political Elite Recruitment ………………… 46 4.3 Soviet Nationalities Policy and the Soviet Elite ……………………………. 50 4.4 Political Elite at the End of the Soviet Union ……………………………… 53 4.5 Conclusion ………………………………………………………………… 55 5. HISTORICAL EVOLUTION OF POLITICAL ELITE IN AZERBAIJAN ......... 58 5.1 Azerbaijan under Russian Imperial Rule ………………………………….. 59 5.1.1 Azerbaijani Enlightenment and the Formation of the National Elite ….…………………………………………………... 66 5.1.2 Aspects of Political Elite Formation under Imperial Domination … 75 ix 5.2 The Establishment of the ADR ……………………………………….......... 78 5.3 The Soviet Era in Azerbaijan ………………………………………………. 82 5.3.1 The Great Purge in Azerbaijan …………………………….............. 89 5.3.2 Second World War and Post-War Recovery in Azerbaijan ……….. 90 5.3.3 “Thaw” in Azerbaijan and Mustafayev Era ………………………... 92 5.3.4 Azerbaijan under First Secretary Akhundov……………………….. 94 5.3.5 The Era of First Secretary Heydar Aliyev ...………………………... 95 5.3.6 The Collapse of the USSR and the Emergence of the New Political Elite ……………………………………………............... 102 5.4 The Popular Front Elite in Power ……………………………………...…. 110 5.5 The Return of Heydar Aliyev …………………………………………….. 118 5.6 Ilham Aliyev’s Succession to Presidency ………………………………… 124 5.6.1 Authoritarian Consolidation under Ilham Aliyev …………………... 130 5.7 Conclusion ………………………………………………………………... 140 6. CHARACTERISTICS OF POLITICAL ELITE IN AZERBAIJAN AND ITS PERCEPTIONS OF TRANSFORMATION AND DEMOCRATIZATION .………………………………………………… 148 6.1 Defining the Political Elite: Popular Perceptions vs. Normative Criteria ...148 6.2 Perceptions of Politics: The Making of Elite-Mass Disconnection ……... 154 6.2.1 The Question of Mentality and Politics…………………………... 155 6.2.2 Perceptions of Political Elite ……………………………………... 159 6.2.3 The Nature of Political Competition ……………………................ 161 6.3 Informal Networks and Clan Politics in Azerbaijan ……………………… 164 6.4 Perspectives on Democratization and Its