After Chechnya: At Risk in Dagestan
| Published date | 01 February 1998 |
| Author | Enver Kisriev,Robert Bruce Ware |
| DOI | 10.1111/1467-9256.00059 |
| Date | 01 February 1998 |
| Subject Matter | Article |
After Chechnya: At RiskAfter Chechnya: At Risk
in Dagestanin Dagestan
Robert Bruce Ware and Enver Kisriev
Population displacements in the aftermath of
the Chechen con¯ict may undermine a com-
plex political balance existing among the
extraordinarily numerous ethnic groups in
the neighbouring Republic of Dagestan. The
destabilisation of Dagestan threatens to bring
ethnic con¯ict to virtually the only state in
the Caucasus to have avoided it thus far. This
article considers the basis of ethnic accom-
modation in Dagestan, the policies and
migratory patterns that have placed it at risk,
and the regional context in which these have
occurred.
Recent events in Chechnya threaten to desta-
bilise the political situation in the neighbour-
ing Russian Republic of Dagestan, which has
long depended upon the preservation of a
complex balance among its numerous ethnic
groups. This is of special concern given
Dagestan's proximity to recently discovered
Caspian oil ®elds, and its rapidly expanding
regional and international signi®cance.
Ethnic relations in Dagestan are extra-
ordinary not only for their rich diversity but
also for their relative tranquility. Dagestan is
home to more than 30 national groups. Lar-
gest among these are Avars, Dargins, Kumyks,
Lezgins, Russians, Laks, Nogais and Chechens,
the last of which accounts for approximately
8% of Dagestan's 2 million people. Yet
despite its extreme heterogeneity, Dagestan is
virtually the only administrative unit in the
Caucasus which has not recently experienced
signi®cant ethnic con¯ict. This is surprising
not only in view of Dagestan's ethnic diver-
sity, but also in view of its economic depriva-
tion. Despite subsidies from Moscow
(providing up to 80% of the Republic's
budget), Dagestan remains Russia's poorest
region. Its economic diculties have been
exacerbated by the transition from a planned
economy to the point that Dagestan now
imports crops that it previously exported.
Political stability in the Republic is also
remarkable in view of displacements inevi-
table in its rapid transition to democratic
institutions in the absence of a mature demo-
cratic political culture.
There are at least three reasons for Dages-
tan's ethnic harmony. First, there is a rough
parity among Dagestan's largest ethnic
groups. Since no single group is suciently
powerful to govern on its own, cooperation
has long been a necessity. This has con-
tributed, secondly, to a tradition of pragmatic
accommodation among ethnic groups.
Thirdly, this spirit of pragmatism is particu-
larly prevalent among those political, religious
and entrepreneurial elites who play in¯uential
roles within most ethnic groups, and who
generally are co-opted by, and loyal to,
Moscow.
Yet whereas ¯exibility is an important fea-
ture of Dagestan's ethnic relations, parity
sometimes requires a prudent rigidity. In
some areas, for example, local administrative
posts traditionally are allocated to members
Politics (1998) 18(1) pp. 39±47
#Political Studies Association 1998. Published by Blackwell Publishers, 108 Cowley Road, Oxford OX4 1JF, UK
and 350 Main Street, Malden, MA 02148, USA. 39
Robert Bruce Ware, University of Oxford and Enver Kisriev, Russian Academy of Science.
To continue reading
Request your trial