Past Event! Note: this event has already taken place.
Russian Democrats and the Dream of an “Enlightened Despot:” Lessons from Perestroika
October 17, 2025 at 1:00 PM
| Location: | 3224 Richcraft Hall |
Date: October 17th, 2025
Time: 1:00pm
Location: RB 3224
Event Description:
Based on his recent book Suffering Victory: Soviet Liberals and the Failure of Democracy in Russia, 1987–1993, Guillaume Sauvé examines a pivotal moment in contemporary Russian history when democracy failed to take root. Moving beyond Putin’s rise or Yeltsin’s weak authoritarianism, he explores the political ideals and dilemmas of the intellectual leaders of the perestroika-era democratic movement, showing how their focus on opposing the communist system while avoiding confrontation with the authorities helped concentrate power in the executive and undermine Russia’s nascent democratic institutions.
About the Speaker:
Guillaume Sauvé teaches Russian and Eurasian politics at Université de Montréal and Université du Québec à Montréal. His research bridges intellectual history and comparative politics. He has written on late Soviet and post-Soviet liberalism and conservatism in Russia, and his current project examines public debate in non-democratic settings through petitions in Russia.