Sowing seeds of democracy in post-Soviet granite
From his parents' dining room, Vugar Mammadov is building a campaign as an independent candidate for the Nov. 6 parliamentary elections in Azerbaijan. Hovering around him, Mr. Mammadov's campaign manager and a small volunteer staff drink tea made by his mother while they brainstorm ideas for his campaign posters. They need a new slogan.
The decorations in this dining room - family crystal, pictures of Mammadov in Europe from his days as a diplomat, a Kerry-Edwards poster, and English- language books on leadership - symbolize his campaign: home grown, proud, and cross-cultural.
Mammadov's first challenge is large: to foster a culture of campaigning in a country that has not yet experienced truly free elections. With a brand new American master's degree in international relations in hand, Mammadov has returned home with the energy necessary for this task. There are others like him. In his mid-thirties, he is one of many young candidates running as independents in the coming election.
Mammadov knows that the Republic of Azerbaijan faces major challenges beyond its conflict with Armenia over the Nagorno-Karabakh region claimed by both states. It must manage the revenue and infrastructure of the Caspian Oil Basin while avoiding the effect of a rentier oil economy, whereby governments run on oil revenue - and citizens, who are not taxed, do not have proper representation. This effect has caused political and economic turmoil in many oil-producing states, namely neighboring Iran. Mammadov sees the success of the growing oil economy as very much linked with these elections. A more representational parliament will ensure that Azerbaijan stays the course of distributing oil revenues not only to military infrastructure but also to social services.
Democracy is spreading throughout Eurasia, symbolized by revolutions in former Soviet states - "Rose" in Georgia, "Orange" in Ukraine. Even in far-off Kyrgyzstan, authoritarian leaders face the calls for democracy, transparency, and an end to governmental corruption. Azerbaijan is also on the path toward democracy, but future leaders like Mammadov hope for a democratic evolution - not a revolution.
In efforts to help democracy blossom naturally, Mammadov is working to establish professional standards for campaigning. While attending a meeting at the Azerbaijan American Education Center, he asked the students to join his campaign, but warned them that they will not be paid. This is volunteering, he explained. Most of the students were surprised by his pitch - they had never worked for no pay - but a few expressed interest in enhancing their applications to American graduate schools and gave Mammadov their cellphone numbers.
Mammadov is often tired from late-night phone calls with uncles and cousins who offer money to his campaign - but they are only vague offers. He explains that pledges are specific amounts of money. But most do not offer these specifics. It has never been done before.
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