Fall 2013 GLS102 Comparative Government & Politics Fall 2013 2 - PowerPoint PPT Presentation

Fall 2013

GLS102 Comparative Government & Politics Fall 2013 2

ž Worldview; ž 19 th century; ž Production system: economic system = political ž Class struggle: bourgeoisie proletariat ž End of private property; ž Collectivity & equality: “fro rom ea each accord rding to his abilities es, to ea each accord rding to his need eeds .” ž Through synthesis revolution ž Terminology: communism, socialism, social democracy, capitalism, liberalism GLS102 Comparative Government & Politics Fall 2013 3

ž USSR (1917 - 1991): Lenin, Stalin, Khrushchev, Gorbatsjov Eastern European hemisphere (1989). ž China (1949) Mao, Deng ž Asian hemisphere (N. Korea, Laos, Vietnam). ž Cuba (1959). 1980s: 1/3 of the world population: Note: not in the most industrialized countries of the world. GLS102 Comparative Government & Politics Fall 2013 4

ž Political regime: • Dominated by the communist party; • System of co-optation and corporatism. ž Civil society è limited: • System seeks to downplay gender, religion, ethnicity. GLS102 Comparative Government & Politics Fall 2013 5

ž Political economy: • No private property; • Central planning instead of market mechanism; • Nationalization of means of production; • Full employment; • State provides extensive public goods… • Characteristics of capitalist system eliminated: – Property rights – Profit – Unemployment – competition GLS102 Comparative Government & Politics Fall 2013 6

ž Renewed ‘Cold War’ tension since 1980s ž Political & economic integration too complex. ž Reform in USSR (Glasnost & perestroika) to address economic stagnation leads to increasing opposition to the whole political regime; ž Eastern European ‘Satellite’ states experience smooth revolutions (1989). Germany reunites Fall of the Wall GLS102 Comparative Government & Politics Fall 2013 7

ž Cuba, North Korea, Vietnam persist; ž And of course China: only in name? Strong economic reforms, but oppression of freedom of speech. Tiananmen Square protest also in 1989 GLS102 Comparative Government & Politics Fall 2013 8

ž Level of modernization; • Economic development; • Level of education. ž Role of elites; ž International Relations; ž Culture; GLS102 Comparative Government & Politics Fall 2013 9

ž Political regime; ž Civil society; ž Economic system. GLS102 Comparative Government & Politics Fall 2013 10

ž Reform state autonomy & capacity: • From authoritarian regime to – Democracy: – Presidential system or parliamentary system; – SMD, PR or mixed. – Illiberal democracy; – Authoritarian regime; – And sometimes a later transition to democracy (McFaul) • (Re)forming institutions; • Establishing commonly felt RULE - OF - LAW . GLS102 Comparative Government & Politics Fall 2013 11

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ž Reemergence of religion; ž National & ethnic identity; ž Freedom to associate; ž Freedom of speech; ž Political participation. GLS102 Comparative Government & Politics Fall 2013 13

ž Michael McFaul article ‘Transitions from Communism” GLS102 Comparative Government & Politics Fall 2013 14

ž Legacy of socialism and communism in contemporary society: • Why did communist regimes, in general, fail? McFaul’s 7 conditions applied to the world today EXAMPLES GLS102 Comparative Government & Politics Fall 2013 15

ž Trigger: Fraud – not crisis ž Semi autocratic regime ž Unpopular incumbent ž United opposition • Possibility to mobilize the ‘masses’ ž Independent electoral monitoring capabilities (NGOs) ž Some independent media ž Splits in elite & security forces GLS102 Comparative Government & Politics Fall 2013 16

ž Towards a capitalist system: • Privatization: (unknown process): How to hand over state assets to the public? • Marketization: Create a market based on demand & supply. Different models – live laboratory for economists. GLS102 Comparative Government & Politics Fall 2013 17

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