Suchergebnisse

This is the text of the opening lecture given by the author at the 2004 Conference of Italian Society of Political Science in Padua. In the first section the main definitions of democracy & democratic qualities, as rule of law, vertical accountability, horizontal accountability, responsiveness, freedom & equality/solidarity are discussed to set up the main notions that are necessary to address the key question in the second section: If we would like to explain the qualities of a democracy how much are the previous political traditions of the country relevant? The main other explanatory factors are suggested & complemented by the role of authoritarian legacy & a few key hypotheses are suggested. In the last section the essay does not provide any ultimate general reply, but the analysis of the impact of authoritarian legacy in a few countries of Southern Europe (Portugal, Spain, Italy, but not Greece where it is not relevant) & of the Southern Cone of Latin America (Chile, Argentina, Uruguay, Brazil) with regard to the quality of contemporary democracies in those countries is suggested. Tables, References. Adapted from the source document.

Fascist ideology and extreme right-wing parties in Western Europe.

This article explores Linz's contributions to political science from the perspective of his analysis of the dynamics of contemporary political regimes. Building on a profound knowledge of the case of Spain, Linz first offered the most important definition & analysis of an authoritarian regime. Then, he moved on to articulate one of the most significant comparative interpretations of the breakdown of democratic regimes, stressing that most often the opponents of democracy come from within its own ranks. His next tasks included analysis of the different transition paths from authoritarian rule, identification of the conditions leading to the birth of new democracies, & suggestions of the steps to be made in order to consolidate a viable democratic regime. Always keeping in mind the Spanish case, Linz has in fact become a true historical comparativist & has illuminated some of the most important problems faced by contemporary political systems. This article ends by spelling out five principles that have guided Linz's intellectual enterprise, that remain at the heart of his explanations, & that can be fruitfully applied by other scholars. The rich, dense, abundantly footnoted, thoroughly researched essays by Juan Linz are a constant source of inspiration, hypotheses to be followed, ideas, & knowledge. 30 References. Adapted from the source document.

The reaction against the New Deal of Roosevelt & Truman, the fear of increased power of the State, the hostility toward ai planned society, the present prosperity of the US--these factors have favored the rebirth of a conservative ideology. Conservative Americans are not, however, senseless & reactionary defenders of laissez faire & of isolationism. Their pessimistic view of human nature, their distrust of abstract solutions, & their respect for past experience push them toward a decentralized & hierarchical state. Can this conservative ideology, which has had considerable success in US intellectual circles & in the Republican group around President Eisenhower, become an effective pol'al force? Circumstances are favorable for such a development, but against it are the egalitarianism & the belief in human achievement that are deeply rooted in the conscience of the American masses. Tr by J. A. Broussard from IPSA.

The post-Mao era inaugurated a stage of deep review of the role of Communist Party(CCP) in Chinese society: from "revolutionary party" (geming dang) into "ruling party" (geming dang). This entailed a revised approach consisting in new method of selecting & promoting party's officials by emphasising qualifications as expertise, managerial skills, aptitude for encouraging economic development rather than ideological & political faithfulness. This new strategy succeeded in reaching a consensus of the growing middle class about the main political goals of Chinese regime & consequently in dampening political & social opposition by digging a huge break in social body. With regard to this strategy of cooptation & social segmentation the Jiang Zemin's theory of "three representatives" is emblematic. Though this expression of openness & efficiency keeps being obsessively confirmed in official speeches & in legislation the exercise of freedom in China is far from being guaranteed. The approach of managing power of past regime is still "in office" & rigorously practised in order to control the frequent turmoil of peasants. Likewise frequent initiatives of intellectuals who claim the authorities deny the people their rights are severely repressed. Nevertheless the sharp-eyed party's control on community does not prevent some expectations of change from being fulfilled. Greater & greater groups of intellectuals, lawyers, journalists are resorting to state legislation to get the basic rights recognised and, for this purpose, they don't hesitate to deliver any sort of information to Internet in order to smooth the authorities' reaction. These actions offer a glimmer of hope in Chinese scenario. Adapted from the source document.

The pol'al thought of Mosca underwent an evolution which led it from the anti-parliamentary & anti-democratic polemics of his first writings to an overtly liberal position in his more mature yrs. In effect, the 2 themes which make up the key of his system and upon which his fame rests, `pol'al class' & `pol'al formula' (which we are more apt to designate as `elites' & `ideology') are treated in his earlier works in a clearly anti-democratic sense. Experience & more extensive study of the parliamentary system later produced a more favorable attitude & the concept of `judicial defense' which is at the heart of the defense of individual liberties. It is thus that Mosca adheres to the liberal tradition & to an original interpretation of democracy. Tr by J. A. Broussard from IPSA.