Ending the Oligarchic Age: Combatting Corruption in Post-Maiden Ukraine

Abstract

Ukraine's oligarchs have largely perpetuated the country's persistent corruption problem by enriching themselves at the detriment of society. This thesis investigates the links between oligarchic political-economic networks and post-Maiden corruption in Ukraine. It begins with a review of successful anti-corruption reforms undertaken by Ukraine since 2014 including the establishment of five anti-corruption agencies. Then, the paper turns to a historical chronology of how the oligarchy in Ukraine arose from the ill-defined privatization of state-owned assets after the collapse of the Soviet Union in 1991 to influence the nation's political system and decision-making process. The account traces oligarchic monopolistic control over key economic sectors, use of media holdings to shape public opinion and manipulate election results, and financing of political candidates and parties who in return legislate laws and regulations aligned with oligarchic interests. After examining good-governance transitions in other post-communist countries, the paper determines rapid, big-bang type of reform would most effectively combat endemic corruption in Ukraine stemming from the oligarchy and prevent rent-seekers from reemerging after the war. Finally, the paper draws upon a comparative case study with Estonia, the least corrupt of all former Soviet republics, and an interview with legal scholar Dr. Oksana Nesterenko to propose policy interventions to improve anti-corruption outcomes. While the power of the oligarchy has declined with the war, elites still hold residual influence in entwined political and economic sectors. This thesis concludes that the patriotic political climate in war-time Ukraine awards President Zelensky a unique window of opportunity to implement radical anti-corruption measures to break with the inner working of the oligarch system. A formidable anti-corruption commitment by Ukraine is necessary for the country to forge closer ties with the West and emerge from the war as a sovereign, modern democracy.