A Conceptual History of Political Regimes: Democracy, Dictatorship, and Authoritarianism

Author(s): Adam Przeworski / Language(s): English Issue: 2/2017

The labels we attach today to distinguish political regimes have histories. Applying them without understanding these histories is sometimes anachronistic and ethnocentric. I have little new to say about “democracy” and “dictatorship”, so that the discussion of these concepts is just a reminder. “Authoritarianism”, however, is a dubious neologism. I advance two claims: (1) In all regimes the power to command and be obeyed entails some dose of reason-giving, (2) What distinguishes regimes is the form and the extent to which the authority of rulers is monopolised by physical force. I conclude that the concept of “authoritarianism” adds little to the distinction between democracy and dictatorship.

Some of the Foremost Challenges to the Status Quo

Author(s): Zygmunt Bauman / Language(s): English Issue: 2/2017

Donald Trump’s election, results of the British referendum on membership in the EU and the rise of populist parties in Europe constitute various aspects of the challenges to the status quo resulting from the growing economic and cultural gap between privileged elites and the masses, as well as from the immigration from less developed regions to the rich countries of North America and Western Europe. The existing democratic systems have been unable to cope with these challenges and a fundamental change in the status quo is necessary if authoritarian trend is to be stopped.

Authoritarianism with an Electoral Face in Africa

Author(s): Peter Anyang Nyongo / Language(s): English Issue: 2/2017

This essay is about how authoritarian regimes in Africa use so-called democratic elections to stay in power or to avoid being removed from power. Some of these elections are blatantly rigged; some are semi-competitive and occasionally lend legitimacy to such regimes as being somehow approved by the people or based on the consent of the people. Since Africa is such a big continent with nation-states which have had different histories since independence, we cannot make watertight generalizations, though “typologies” very often prove useful in making comparative studies. In this case, we shall use Kenya as a typical case of former plantation colonies which political economies are comparable and the fortunes of democratic governance quite similar. We conclude that the struggle for democratic governance will always be rooted in people’s need to be governed and yet to control their governors.

Christopher Steed “A Question of Worth: Economy, Society and the Quantification of Human Value”

Author(s): Wojciech Rafałowski / Language(s): English Issue: 2/2017

Social bots influence

Author(s): Anita Zupanič / Language(s): English Issue: 1/2019

Use of social bots on social media platforms is spreading. Their use became prominent in US 2010 midterm elections and later in 2016 presidential elections between Donald Trump and Hilary Clinton. In Turkey and Russia social bots were not used just for one purpose, they silenced political opposition, sent out propaganda and padded the number of social media followers. They had avatars with pictures on social media platforms. Social bots were clearly connected to PRI party in Mexico, whose leader Enrique Peña Nieto won the 2012 election. The case of 2015 UK general election shows that when more resources are put into social bots, the more effective they are.

Transitions Online_Around the Bloc-25 February

Author(s): Ioana Caloianu / Language(s): English Issue: 03/02/2020

Today’s regional roundup: EU budget talks; Crimean TV under pressure; Washington plays nuclear war; changes to Kazakh rallies; and a shocking Czech documentary.

Transitions Online_Around the Bloc-26 February

Author(s): Ioana Caloianu / Language(s): English Issue: 03/02/2020

TOL’s regional news roundup: effective protests in Kyrgyzstan; intolerance in Poland; innovation in Estonia; WWII ceremonies pose RSVP conundrum; and Borissov’s castle in Spain.

Jednostka w systemie (realnego) kapitalizmu: analiza korpusowa społecznych wyobrażeń o relacji łączącej jednostki i system społeczny

Author(s): Agnieszka Karlińska,Maja Sawicka / Language(s): Polish Issue: 2/2019

This paper aims to identify and reconstruct social imaginary connected with the category of „social system”, and to answer the question how, thirty years after the systemic transformation in Poland, the relation between the individual and the system is conceptualized. The analysis stems from the research into psycho-social consequences of the transformation. However, it is innovative since it employs the methods and tools ofcorpus linguistics. The corpus encompasses the content of 12 focus group interviews (FGI) and of 29 in-depth interviews (IDI) carried out in different Polish cities duringthe project „Values in the times of (global) crisis” financed by National Science Centre(NCN grant no. 2016/21//B/HS6/03199). The results indicate the tendency to locate the individual in an antagonistic opposition towards the social system. A feeling that individuals’ claims towards the system are unsatisfied, and a sense that system blocks and limits individual opportunities, are manifestations of this antagonism.

Kobylin-Borzymy: mechanizmy dziedziczenia postaw politycznych w społeczności lokalnej

Author(s): Antonina Baczyńska,Daniel Jakubowski,Michał Wilkowiecki,Piotr Kopyta,Witold Chyło,Mateusz Wojda,Nikodem Grzegdala,Krystian Pakuła,Łukasz Luczek / Language(s): Polish Issue: 2/2019

The article presents some results of a field study of intergenerational mechanisms of transmission of political attitudes in a rural community of Kobylin-Borzymy located inthe Podlasie region in northeastern Poland. Using quantitative and qualitative methods researchers analyse factors underlying the extremely high and stable electoral results ofthe right-wing parties in this community. The data collected during extensive qualitative interviews have been analysed in the broad context of socio-economical preconditions characteristic for this community. The authors come to the conclusion that the influence of Roman Catholicism and regional traditions are the key factors explaining attitudes and behaviour of members of the community. Values and practices related to both elements serve as an intermediate factor in sustaining the political climate in a long term and determine the decisions of the electorate.

Capitalul în România postcomunistă [Capital in Post-communist Romania], by Florin Georgescu, Editura Academiei Române, Bucureşti, 2018, 3 vol., ISBN 973-27-2936-6

Author(s): Paul Dobrescu,Mălina Ciocea / Language(s): English Issue: 2/2019

This book is arguably the most comprehensive and detailed analysis of the crucial process of Romania`s post-communist transition. The author defines capital broadly, not just in terms of volume of money, but also as previously produced goods, that

Tackling Disinformation: EU Regulation of the Digital Space

Author(s): Flavia Durach,Alina Bargaoanu,Cătălina Nastasiu / Language(s): English Issue: 1/2020

This paper provides an overview of current responses to fake news and digital disinformation inside and outside the EU, and assesses the advantages and disadvantages of each solution. Four approaches emerge: (1) self-regulation (i.e. actions undertaken on a voluntary basis by the digital platforms); (2) co-regulation (i.e. cooperation framework between EU-level and national-level authorities, the internet platform companies, media organizations, researchers, and other stakeholders); (3) direct regulation (i.e. legal measures & sanctions); and (4) audience-centred solutions (i.e. factchecking and media literacy). We argue in favour of the co-regulation approach, while drawing attention to some current challenges in the response against disinformation. Furthermore, we need to go beyond the understanding of disinformation as an information/ truth fraud, and draw additional measures to reflect the particular understanding of disinformation as a form of users’ engagement fraud.

Closer to Europe? Domestic Changes and the Europeanization Processes in Post-Revolution Ukraine and Armenia

Author(s): Aram Terzyan / Language(s): English Issue: 1/2020

This article explores the challenges and opportunities of the Europeanization processes taking place in post-Maidan Ukraine and post-Velvet Revolution Armenia. It argues that despite the constraining effects of “competing governance provider” Russia, the interests, perceptions and preferences of the domestic elites are critical to the implementation of the EU policies in Ukraine and Armenia. Thus, it offers a more dynamic structure- agency interplay approach to account for the dynamics of Europeanization in the EU-Russia contested neighbourhood. The article concludes that the domestic change in Ukraine has been positively correlated with its Europeanization, while Armenia has been showing positive signs of responsiveness towards the European policies since the 2018 “Velvet Revolution.” The article enquires into integration without membership dynamics between the EU and Eastern neighbours, as well as into the actorness of the EU in post-revolution state-building in Ukraine and Armenia.

Smart leadership for smart cities

Author(s): Takele Bekele Bayu / Language(s): English Issue: 02/2020

This paper examines the issue of smart leadership for smart cities and the challenges they are facing. Particular emphasis is given to Africa (Rwanda and Ethiopia) which undergoing impressive urban growth at the rate of 3.5% annually that makes Africa the fastest urbanizing place in the world. However, the development of infrastructure and industries has not kept pace with the growth in urban population. Then how should Africa leaders be prepared and deal with the booming urbanization process? Smart Leadership for Smart Cities: a solution to the booming urbanization process in the continent. Indeed, as indicated in African Smart Cities Strategies for Agenda 2063, smart leaders- smarter citizens-smarter cities can alleviate African urban challenges. Indeed, only a little research discusses political leadership and commitment/political rationalities while the literature of technology innovation/technical rationalities is abundant. Recognizing the fact that Smart cities will not succeed without developing smart leadership, Rwanda under Paul Kagame and Ethiopia under Abiy Ahmed- have launched Smart Kigali initiative and “Beautifying Sheger” project respectively with the aims to develop the entire urban eco-system and realize smarter and sustainable neighborhoods and cities in their respective capital cities. The study employed a secondary method of data collection and analysis in combination with observation. Thus, the study concludes that political leadership is indispensable and leaders in both countries are undertaking impressive measures in transforming their country while building alliances and partnerships with various stakeholders. However, such initiatives are challenged by factors like trust and transparency, debt burden, public participation, and poor existing infrastructure. African leaders and their policymakers can learn a lot from the experiences of the two countries and their leadership style and moreover it provides a valuable contribution to the much-untouched areas of smart leadership for smart cities.

GENEZA KONFLIKTU W BURKINA FASO W LATACH 2014-2019

Author(s): Krzysztof Danielewicz / Language(s): Polish Issue: 32/2020

Celem artykułu jest wyjaśnienie przyczyn konfliktu jaki trwa w Burkina Fasood 2014 roku. Po wybuchu konfliktu zbrojnego w Mali w 2012 r., który był konsekwencją upadku reżimu Kadafiego i pomimo zaangażowania środowiska międzynarodowego w jego zakończenie, rozlewa się on na nowe tereny w Mali i poza jej granice. Od 2015 r. w Burkina Faso dramatycznie pogorszyła się sytuacja bezpieczeństwa, która w chwili obecnej wymyka się spod kontroli. Konflikt w Mali jest tylko jednym z powodów takiej sytuacji. Innymi elementami kształtującymi sytuację wewnętrzną są: odejście ze stanowiska byłego prezydenta Blaise Compaoré, działania lokalnej grupy zbrojnej Ansar ul Islam, tarcia pomiędzy różnymi grupami religijnymi i narodowościowymi oraz od lat nierozwiązane problemy ekonomiczne. Analizy zawarte w artykule wsparte są danymi dostępnymi w bieżących publikacjach wyspecjalizowanych portali internetowych, takich jak The African Center for Strategic Studies, International Crisis Group, Terrorism Monitor, Long War Journal i West African Papers.

Мелничарството и законите за насърчение на местната индустрия от 1894 и 1905 година

Author(s): Rumyana Parvanova / Language(s): Bulgarian Issue: 2/2020

The article examines the stages through which the flour-milling industry passed between the late 19th century and the first decade of the 20th century. Several factors contributed to the upward trend in the milling – the increase in cereal yields, the construction of a railway network and the establishment of new banks. The article details are considered laws encouragement of the Bulgarian industry (1894, 1905) and their application in the milling. It is proved that they contributed to the introduction of new technologies, accelerated the industrialization of the country and expanded the marketability of the economy.

SECOND INSTANCE ADMINISTRATIVE COMMISSIONS AND THE ADMINISTRATIVE COURTS EFFICIENCY IN THE REPUBLIC OF NORTH MACEDONIA

Author(s): Iskra Akimovska-Maletić,Dragan Gocevski / Language(s): English Issue: 2/2020

The paper aims to evaluate the direct and indirect determinants of the system for administrative legal protection efficiency in the Republic of North Macedonia. For this purpose, the paper analyzes the legal and institutional framework of administrative authorities i.e. the second instance administrative commissions that act on the appeal against the decisions of the first instance administrative bodies, as well as the legal and institutional framework of the Administrative and Higher Administrative Court that provide administrative-judicial protection against administrative acts. The paper assesses internal efficiency determinants for three second instance state commissions that provide legal protection in administrative procedure in the country, independently, as well as the two administrative courts: staff (administrative staff, number of elected members of second instance commissions, number of judges), number of newly formed cases, number of resolved cases and number of unresolved cases at the end of a year.

Around the Bloc-Friday, 18 September

Author(s): Ioana Caloianu / Language(s): English Issue: 09/21/2020

Regional headlines: animal rights in Poland; war of words in Belarus; military games in Eastern Europe; informal payments in Moldova; and Turkmenistan dusts off Parthian past.

Transitions Online_Around the Bloc-Thursday, 22 October 2020

Author(s): Ky Krauthamer / Language(s): English Issue: 10/26/2020

Regional headlines: cluster bombs in Karabakh; Pole gets asylum in Norway; Ukrainian elections; EU and Kosovo at cross purposes; and a gold strike in Siberia.

Commentary: Three Lessons in Chaotism

Author(s): Martin Ehl / Language(s): English Issue: 11/02/2020

What remains of public trust in the state is vanishing as the pandemic roars back into Central Europe.

Transitions Online_Around the Bloc-Friday, 30 October 2020

Author(s): Ky Krauthamer / Language(s): English Issue: 11/02/2020

Regional headlines: Belarusian borders closed; Syrians in the Karabakh war; Gulenist fights extradition from Albania; Three Seas summit; and a rule of law institute.