Surviving Crisis in Latvia : Narratives of the State and its Citizens in Internet Space

Abstract

The recovery of Latvian economy was celebrated as a success story by the representatives of International Monetary Fund (IMF), European Commission (EC) and by most of the international media. However, it was a story – a narrative constructed by the government and supported by mass media – that was successful. In the conditions of harsh austerity it allowed government to stay at power by the consent of people. Nevertheless, other stories were told on the Internet. Analysis of narratives in the comments and blogs show how alternative views are developed but also how the consent is created by using the power of connotation and myth of the State. In this article, the critical historical review of the democracy in the contemporary Latvia is a base for understanding the narratives of crisis, the State and its citizens in the internet communication.