№ 4 - 2001
Sulaberidze Yu.S.
Georgia’s Political Theatre: Scenarios, Stage Managers, Actors

The author’s daring look at post- Soviet Georgia’s political life through an imaginary prism of theatrical images is followed by his daring attempt to analyze in the article essential features of the said life in terms of theatrical rules and customs. Such an approach is prompted by the dramatized character of the processes under review. The author retraces the origins of this phenomenon rooted in history and culture and tackles the task of finding out the reasons of its wide spread at the present time. Political spectacular displays performed by Georgian ruling elite are aimed at stabilizing the regime characterized in the article as «oligarchic and corporate feudalism». In the chosen aspect, problems of «dualism», «lesser evil», symbolic political capital are discussed. It is contended that masquerades and change of masks will not be able to preserve the present Georgian political system which is not viable, in the author’s opinion.