I have already written that there is no feudalism in Armenia in the academic sense of the word – i.e. a system that is based on closed, natural economy and simple exchange of goods. When we say “feudalism,” we mean the figurative meaning of the word – a system established on the given territory, a relationship, in which one person has unlimited,
uncontrollable power and affords to behave like a medieval feudal lord. For example, he shouts “Who is the man who will be able to topple me?” or orders his bodyguard to kill a man who greeted him incorrectly. Or he beats up guilty people, being convinced that nothing will happen to him, the feudal lord.
In that sense, there is a so-called “feudal” system in Armenia and Robert Kocharyan is right that majoritarian representation contributes to that system – in the pre-election period, the feudal lord is engaged in “charity,” mobilizes the whole law-enforcement and administrative resource and guarantees the victory of the government’s team. However, firstly, I can’t recall that the second president was so opposed to the majoritarian system when he was in power, and secondly, the electoral system of the National Assembly is not the most important factor that contributes to feudalism.
I don’t want to simplify and personify the issue, writing about what is on the surface – the Armenian feudalism advanced, flourished and gained the current image during Robert Kocharyan’s tenure. However, if the roots of the problem had been in the presidents’ “political will,” we would have gotten rid of those morals long ago. The worst thing is that if, God forbid, I or, say, Avetik Ishkhanyan was the president of the republic, we would contribute to maintaining feudalism too.
Read also
This system emerges not because the leaders and their “viziers” want it, not even because the feudal lords want it. The main reason is what the overwhelming majority of our population expects from the government. It expects that it will patronize, look after and take care of them. If a person expects a patron who will be kind, powerful and forgiving, who can play that role, besides a feudal lord?
By the way, that expectation dominates the social atmosphere – the majority of citizens don’t care much about the rest. Yesterday, for example, the Court of Appeals made an absolutely illegal decision. How many people protested against it? The very people who don’t protest contribute to feudalism.
ARAM ABRAHAMYAN
