THE EMERGENCE AND CHARACTERISTICS OF THE INSTITUTIONALIZATION OF THE POLITICAL SYSTEM OF AZERBAIJAN AS A POST-SOVIET COUNTRY: THE PERIOD OF PRE-INDEPENDENCE

Abstract

The study examines the institutionalization of Azerbaijan's political system during the preindependence and Soviet eras, focusing on its unique political evolution from the Azerbaijan Democratic Republic (ADR) to the Azerbaijan Soviet Socialist Republic (Azerbaijan SSR). The ADR (1918–1920), as a secular republic, achieved significant democratic milestones, including a representative parliament and women’s suffrage, laying the groundwork for modern political institutions. However, the Soviet annexation replaced this with a centralized, one-party system under the Communist Party, which dominated governance. Despite political repression during the Soviet period, advancements in socio-economic sectors, particularly the oil industry, were notable. Heydar Aliyev’s leadership from 1969 significantly modernized Azerbaijan's economy and improved living conditions. In the 1980s, Gorbachev’s reforms and the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict intensified national movements, ultimately leading to Azerbaijan's independence in 1991. The study concludes that Azerbaijan’s political system reflects a dual legacy of democratic aspirations from the ADR and centralized control from the Soviet era, shaping its post-Soviet trajectory.