Georgia's Modernizing Mission

Four years ago Georgian President Mikheil Saakashvili tried to conquer South Ossetia in a bid to restore the territorial integrity of his country by force. The ensuing military rout did not lead to his political collapse. Contrary to expectations, Saakashvili held his ground and even grew stronger. However, the conflict has dramatically changed his political approach. Saakashvili realized he should not count on closer institutional ties with the West as a means to transform his country. Neither Europe nor America would risk full-scale war with Russia over Georgia. He continued to use democratic slogans abroad to maintain the West’s attention and support. Meanwhile, in Georgia he relied on other examples, notably Mustafa Kemal Ataturk, the founder of the Republic of Turkey, and Lee Kuan Yew, the founder of modern Singapore. His priorities seem clear: both leaders created their states from scratch. Ataturk also deliberately put an end to the Ottoman tradition. Both tried hard to change the mentality of their compatriots. They ruled their respective countries for a very long time and rejected democracy as a vehicle of modernization out of principle.