FEATURES OF THE FORMATION OF THE POLITICAL SYSTEM IN AZERBAIJAN: A COMPARATIVE ANALYSIS OF THE USSR AND THE PERIOD OF INDEPENDENCE

Abstract

During the Soviet era, the Azerbaijan SSR, one of the 15 republics of the USSR, was forced to accept autocratic-dictatorship like other member countries. The political system of the USSR, based on communist ideology and the total control of the single Communist Party, spread to Azerbaijan as well as to other countries, and Azerbaijan was ruled by an autocratic approach for 70 years. The collapse of the USSR and the independence of Azerbaijan led to the advancement of our country on the path of democratization. After the period of great chaos and instability experienced between 1991 and 1993, under the rule of Heydar Aliyev, political-economic and socio-cultural reforms were carried out. Despite the difficulties caused by the transition from the established autocratic political system to democracy, a lot of progress was achieved under the leadership of Aliyev, and the reforms carried out contributed to the improvement of the functioning of democratic institutions in our country.