Introduction

This chapter examines the political transition in post-Soviet Moldova. While it is clearly too early in the process to provide a comprehensive review of democratization in the republic, an effort is made to identify those factors that have been most influential in determining the course of events thus far. The argument will be advanced that Moldovan democratization to date has been affected most powerfully by (1) the character of the immediate transition from communism, (2) the international environment, (3) the course of intra-elite politics in the early transition, (4) the interest cleavage structure in Moldovan society, and finally (5) the process of political party formation.

The first section of the following discussion reviews the historical context in which the Moldovan transition began. As the eastern-most region inhabited by a Romanian-speaking population, Moldova's position has long been ambiguous. Moldovan culture has clearly been influenced by its interaction with the Slavic population of the region, as well as by the Romanian tradition. Furthermore, Moldova, as a border region, has been politically insecure for centuries.

The analysis of the historical context assesses the impact of both the pre-Soviet and Soviet periods. Particular attention is addressed to the character of interethnic relations, which was critical to the direction of the mobilization process in Moldova. Historically, relations between the diverse peoples that inhabit Moldova have been mixed, but on the whole positive.