Speaking at University of Pittsburgh, Motyl expresses optimism about Ukraine (12/11/05)

Speaking at University of Pittsburgh, Motyl expresses optimism about Ukraine

by Ryan Melnyk

PITTSBURGH - Alexander J. Motyl, professor of political science at Rutgers University, delivered a lecture on November 2 at the University of Pittsburgh to an audience of some 30 students, faculty, local Ukrainian community members and other interested individuals.

Dr. Motyl's topic was "One Year After Ukraine's Orange Revolution: A Balance Sheet."

The recent events concerning the removal of Prime Minister Yulia Tymoshenko and the brokering of a political deal between President Viktor Yushchenko and his former adversary Viktor Yanukovych have led many to believe the spirit of the Orange Revolution is flickering. The future of this administration and Ukraine's political system itself seem shady to some observers.

However, Prof. Motyl, a specialist on Ukrainian politics, said he feels these fears are ungrounded. He cited the permanence of institutions as a key stabilizing factor and said he considers the current issues mere individual political issues, non-essential to the country's structure.

Prof. Motyl acknowledged the evolutionary change of Ukrainian government and downplayed the actual role of the Orange Revolution. He said that the Orange Revolution demonstrated a tangible sense of a civil society and popular opinion in Ukraine, and noted that he regards the event as a barometer in the increasing democratization of Ukraine.

According to Prof. Motyl, democracies and markets are created incrementally by the establishment and legitimization of institutions, not by "democrats waving flags" and "capitalists waving dollars." He refered to the correct functioning of institutions such as the Verkhovna Rada and the Supreme Court during the Orange Revolution as proof of the development of a true democracy.

President Yushchenko's much-ballyhooed deal with Mr. Yanukovych could also denote an "Orangification" of Mr. Yanukovych, not necessarily a betrayal of Orange ideals by Mr. Yushchenko, Prof. Motyl said. Because of the two-way nature of deals, it could indicate Mr. Yanukovych's acceptance of Mr. Yushchenko's legitimization. In addition, Prof. Motyl also predicted a further democratization and capitalization of Ukraine, but he acknowledged that this hinges on many variables, including the Russian Federation.

The lecture was organized by the Ukrainian Students Organization at the University of Pittsburgh and the university's department of Slavic languages and literatures.

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