№ 6 - 2014
Zhiltsov S.S.
Political Technologies of Struggle for Power in Ukraine

In the paper, technologies of seizing power in Ukraine are analyzed that play a special role among other political technologies. This issue is relevant due to the growing uncontrollability of modern political processes in Ukraine, degradation of the lawful ways to hand over and to keep power. The technologies of the power seizure in Ukraine are considered in the context of the general level of society development, local political processes, development of political institutions, culture and traditions. The conditions required for applying the technologies of power seizure are discussed. The paper also focuses on the study of particular technologies of power seizure in Ukraine combining the mechanisms of political, economic and information pressing on the present powers. All the more, during the two decades of Ukraine’s independence the technologies of power seizure have changed considerably. The spontaneous protest actions were replaced with well-planned and well-organized actions based on extensive financial support. In developing and conducting these actions the organizers used different areas of knowledge, many of which are interdisciplinary. This paper also highlights the psychological impact on population, application of manipulation technologies, gambling on the domestic, international, language and national issues. The author analyzes the role of the Maidan camp that is viewed by the opposition as alternative to the existing powers and is considered to be an exponent of the peoples’ position. The factor of external influence on the political events in Ukraine that acquires the key role is discussed. The paper also analyzes the role of the financial, political and economic support from external forces, providing the opposition with a broad range of instruments for power seizure. The political events that occurred in Ukraine in 2014 and that ended in the coup d’etat urge to study further the power seizure technologies. This paper addresses the new technologies of power seizure used by opposition politicians. Differences between the technologies applied for power seizure in Ukraine in 2014 and the technologies applied in 2004 during presidential election campaign are analyzed.