The Kyrgyz Republic is a nation that has made significant developments in its struggle for democracy according to the rule of law and adherence to human rights obligations. However, the country’s road to achieving social and political stability has been marked by numerous violent protests, mass mobilizations, and several revolutions that have made it center stage in the battle against authoritarian governance. The Tulip revolution in 2005 was the first event that altered the political arena by ousting the corrupt President Askar Akayev, who had been in power for fifteen years. Nevertheless, Kyrgyz citizens did not achieve their wishes as the people led another revolution in 2010 against President Bakiev’s regime. Even so, the latest upheaval in Kyrgyzstan in 2020 suggests that citizens are yet to achieve their expectations.
Kyrgyzstan’s Tulip Revolution and the subsequent revolt in 2020 are a result of the nation’s attempt to build a long-lasting democratic society. As a result, the events share several attributes in how the country executed them, why they were initiated, and the perceived outcomes of the actions. A notable similarity between the two rebellions is their period of occurrence. The 2005 Tulip revolution was instigated by the February 27th parliamentary elections, where pro-Akayev candidates performed exceptionally well.
Similarly, protests in the nation began shortly after the October 4th, 2020, parliamentary elections due to allegations of rigging and lack of transparency. The voting process was ruled out as unfair as many parties were accused of buying votes, with pro-government factions securing the most seats. Even so, the 2005 and 2020 Kyrgyz revolutions exhibit significant differences in the dynamics that led to the uprisings, the individuals, and factions that participated.
Political revolutions occur when two or more groups with different ideologies do not come to terms, obligating them to resolve to force to achieve their goals. Technically, revolutions take the shape of organized movements intended to effect social, economic, technological, and political changes. Nevertheless, theorists propose that other factors, such as authoritarian politics, subversive clientelism, and patronalism, play a role in facilitating mass mobilization, as individuals are often disappointed with what they expect from their leaders after giving them power. This notion is particularly relevant to the case of Kyrgyzstan as their revolutions are characterized by a quick succession of the government by an opposition regime that ends up bearing selfish interests and going against people’s will. As a result, the nation is caught up in an endless cycle of revolts against governments that do not keep their promises and allow impunity to exist within their leadership.
The political environment of Kyrgyzstan is similar to the status of many other developing nations currently struggling with corrupt governments, authoritarian leaders, and powers that do not conform with the tenets of human rights and democracy. However, unlike the Kyrgyz Republic, where revolutions have become common, individuals in some countries are yet to rise arms against undemocratic governments. In addition, it is necessary to assess the implications of the Kyrgyzstan revolutions and their effectiveness in drawing the nation toward its ambition, which is best done by comparing the mechanics associated with the rebellions. Therefore, this research intends to conceptualize and reveal the circumstances that led to the 2020 Kyrgyz revolution by comparing and contrasting the visible dynamics and mechanisms observable in the 2005 and 2020 rebellions.