Approval as Fear #
August 3rd, 2009 | In Worth Considering
An interesting idea. Gallup just released a chart of approval ratings of the leadership of former Soviet Republics. While governments in Ukraine and Georgia did poorly, with under a quarter approving, Armenia and Azerbijan both finished with well over 50%. But in at least one person’s opinion:
The Gallup chart is actually an index of fear. What it reflects is not so much attitudes toward the government as a willingness to openly express one’s attitudes toward the government. As one member of Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty’s Azerbaijan Service told me, “If someone walked up to me in Baku and asked me what I thought about the government, I’d say it was great too.”
(via Passport)