Between Commitement and Pragmatism: Assessing International Influence on Human Rights Practices in Georgia

Abstract

What explains the discrepancy between the avowed commitment of the Georgian government to human rights and praxis of human rights in the post-Rose Revolution republic? This article engages with this question and attributes persistent breaches of civil, political, and personal integrity rights in Georgia not only to its domestic circumstances, but also to the international impact. The study develops a reference group theory, a type of social theory that stresses the influence of social groups of states on policies and behavior of their members. Reference groups endorse goals, values, and standards of behavior for their members and serve as the “frames of reference” that enable other states to assess the effectiveness and legitimacy of their actions. The findings of this study indicate that Georgia’s reference groups, particularly the United States, contributed to its backsliding on human rights by (1) supporting the Georgian government in its goal of rebuilding the state prior to democratizing it and strengthening respect for human rights; (2) redirecting financial and other assistance from democracy promotion to state-building projects; and (3) providing the Georgian government with flattering, yet, misleading feedback concerning the republic’s accomplishments in the area of human rights.