Popular Dictatorships

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Aleksandar Matovski

Electoral autocracies – regimes that adopt democratic institutions but subvert them to rule as dictatorships – have become the most widespread, resilient and malignant non-democracies today. They have consistently ruled over a third of the countries in the world, including geopolitically significant states like Russia, Turkey, Venezuela, Egypt, Indonesia, Nigeria and Pakistan. Challenging conventional wisdom, Popular Dictators shows that the success of electoral authoritarianism is not due to these regimes' superior capacity to repress, bribe, brainwash and manipulate their societies into submission, but is actually a product of their genuine popular appeal in countries experiencing deep political, economic and security crises. Promising efficient, strong-armed rule tempered by popular accountability, elected strongmen attract mass support in societies traumatized by turmoil, dysfunction and injustice, allowing them to rule through the ballot box. Popular Dictators argues that this crisis legitimation strategy makes electoral authoritarianism the most significant threat to global peace and democracy.

2009 ◽  
Vol 2 (1) ◽  
pp. 1-33 ◽  
Author(s):  
Richard Peet

Powerful ideas that shape the world become taken-for-granted verities, in two senses of the term: as the only world that is known; and as the only world that can be imagined. When hegemony controls the imagination, fundamental criticism becomes difficult, and perhaps, impossible. Yet what if there were flaws in the original idea, from which new worlds were constructed, that have materialized in a political-economic geography beset with seemingly unsolvable problems? For example, what if there have always been fundamental flaws in the free trade, open market, competitive, global system that dominates both the world as we know it and the conventional political-economic-geographical thought we know it through? This article speculates that a psycho-discursive act of deconstruction might unravel the entire, subsequent discourse. It aims deconstruction at a founding statement in the free trade, global ideal, by looking critically at David Ricardo's theory of comparative advantage. Ricardo's argument that specialization and free trade are universally beneficial, became a founding premise of conventional economic theory and a basic prescription of liberal and neoliberal development policy. The article looks critically: at the logical consistency and representational accuracy of Ricardo's theory, especially the claim that all participants benefit from participation in a free trading scheme, so that trade brings about a far better world. The article reaches two main, critical conclusions: free trade theory based in comparative advantage has, from the beginning, been an ideology for creating economic spaces open to domination by powerful, leading countries; economics and economic geography have, since their classical beginnings, been biased in that their founding statements reverse the reality they pretend accurately to represent.


Author(s):  
Andrea Cassani

The last part of 20th century saw the collapse of a dramatic number of dictatorships. Rather than democracy, several of these transitions brought regimes where limited political competition coexists with persistently authoritarian practices. The diffusion of this form of authoritarianism in the developing world raises several questions about its broader consequences. Most importantly, does political change short of democratization matter for ordinary citizens? Recent research demonstrates that nominally democratic institutions, even in the absence of people empowerment, can result in better living conditions. The paper adds to this debate by formulating and testing new hypotheses. I compare electoral authoritarianism with democracy and full dictatorship, including specific subtypes of the latter, and focus on both policy outputs and outcomes.


2015 ◽  
Vol 5 (3) ◽  
pp. 36
Author(s):  
Hans Nibshan Seesaghur

Since the 1990s, scholars around the world have focused on the complexities of governance reforms. The vicissitudes of the 21st century witnessed global waves for public administration reforms. China, a fast developing socialist country, has been building a strong, robust and modern public governance system. The Socialist Governance of China with Chinese characteristics brought considerable changes in the political, economic and social spheres, transforming the lives of people for betterment. By bringing about economic development through state intervention, introducing rule of law upholding the significance of its people, fostering new ideas, and ushering the ideology of nationalism through “China Dream”, President Xi Jinping and his socialist governance policies have created an excellent example in the world, particularly the capitalist society, demonstrating how society can be developed through socialist ways. Yet, the dynamics of Chinese governance has always been part science and part mystery to other governments that have earned legitimacy through elections, while China’s leaders earned its legitimacy through selection of the most able and their performance in delivering sustained improvements in the quality of life of the Chinese citizens and China's international standing. This paper deals with assessing the relevance of China’s Socialist governance evolution into a science of managing public affairs and the pursuit to optimizing its impact on the state’s economic, political and social spheres.


Aula Palma ◽  
2019 ◽  
pp. 211-234
Author(s):  
Carlos Alberto Pérez Garay

ResumenEl presente trabajo de investigación describe y analiza la vasta correspondencia que tuvo el escritor limeño con diversos personajes del ámbito político, económico, social y cultural del Perú y del mundo, pertenecientes a la Colección Ricardo Palma de la Biblioteca Nacional delPerú.Palabras Claves: Ricardo Palma, Correspondencia, Biblioteca Nacional AbstractThis research paper describes and analyzes the vast correspondence that the Lima writer had with various characters from the political, economic, social and cultural spheres of Peru and the world, belonging to the Ricardo Palma Collection of the National Library of Peru.Keywords: Ricardo Palma, Correspondence, National Library


2018 ◽  
Vol 9 (5) ◽  
pp. 9-17
Author(s):  
Eric Che Muma

Abstract Since the introduction of democratic reforms in post-independent Africa, most states have been battling corruption to guarantee sustainable peace, human rights and development. Because of the devastating effects of corruption on the realisation of peace, human rights and sustainable development, the world at large and Africa in particular, has strived to fight against corruption with several states adopting national anti-corruption legislation and specialised bodies. Despite international and national efforts to combat corruption, the practice still remains visible in most African states without any effective accountability or transparency in decision-making processes by the various institutions charged with corruption issues. This has further hindered global peace, the effective enjoyment of human rights and sustainable development in the continent. This paper aims to examine the concept of corruption and combating corruption and its impact on peace, human rights and sustainable development in post-independent Africa with a particular focus on Cameroon. It reveals that despite international and national efforts, corruption still remains an obstacle to global peace in Africa requiring a more proactive means among states to achieve economic development. The paper takes into consideration specific socio-economic challenges posed by corruption and the way forward for a united Africa to combat corruption to pull the continent out of poverty, hunger and instability, and to transform it into a better continent for peace, human rights and sustainable development.


2021 ◽  
Vol 74 (1) ◽  
pp. 20-26
Author(s):  
Oleksandra Severinova ◽  

The article analyzes the theoretical and methodological aspects of the formation and development of doctrinal ideas about the meaning of the concept of «armed conflict» in the history of world political and legal thought. The question of the name of the branch of law that regulates armed conflict, by analyzing its historical names such as «law of war», «laws and customs of war», «law of armed conflict», «international humanitarian law» and «international humanitarian law, used in armed conflicts». As a result of this analysis, it can be concluded that it would be most appropriate to use the terms «international humanitarian law» only in a narrow sense or «international humanitarian law applicable in armed conflicts», which is more cumbersome but most accurately describes the field. It is emphasized that due to the availability of new powerful weapons (economic, political, informational, cultural and weapons of mass destruction), which are dangerous both for the aggressor and for the whole world; the aggressor's desire to downplay its role in resolving conflicts in order to avoid sanctions from other countries and international organizations, as well as to prevent the loss of its authority and position on the world stage; the attempts of the aggressor countries to establish their control over the objects of aggression (including integrating them into their political, economic and security systems) without excessive damage to them is the transformation of methods and means of warfare. It is determined that the long history of the formation of the law of armed conflict has led to the adoption at the level of international law of the provision prohibiting any armed aggression in the world, which is reflected in such a principle as non-use of force or threat of force. At the same time, the UN Charter became the first international act in the history of mankind, which completely prohibited armed aggression and enshrined this principle at the international level, which is binding on all states of the modern world.


2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Sujoy Kumar Saha

The present book starts with an introductory chapter in which the contents of the previous book have been dealt with in a whole new perspective and the ways and means to move forward towards global peace have been delineated in the concluding chapter of the book. In the process, “Life, Mind, Brain, Cognition, Existentialism, Matter, Memory, Consciousness, Mysticism, Ontology, Psychology, Parapsychology, Ecology and Phenomenology” have been dealt with. This is followed by the discussion of “ Philosophy, Renaissance, Soul, Theosophy, Cosmology, Universe, The Witness and The Ultimate Truth”. It has been revealed that there is a whole new world of Existence on a new uncharted plane; the present day world-drama is not matured enough and not qualified enough with a sense of unselfishness to foster Global Peace. None-the-less, the destiny of the world and the whole human race, nay the entire manifested world is set to reach a spirited esoteric plane of Blissful Existence, this being a matter of eternity. The current situation in this planet is no more than a transitory phase.


2021 ◽  
Vol 2 (01) ◽  
pp. 87-108
Author(s):  
Santosa Santosa

Looking at the historical flow of Islamic development in Indonesia as such, the author took an analysis that the future prospects of Islam in Indonesia have a great opportunity to continue to develop, be it in the fields of politics, economics, education, social, and culture. This can be seen from the history of Islam in Indonesia that continues to develop until now, this is the early stage of the emergence of awareness of the Indonesian nation of the importance of planting religious values in Indonesian society so that the Indonesian nation can meet the future not only with science and technology but also in the balance by IMTAQ.  The era of globalization in the 21st century that has begun at this time, Islam in Indonesia has apparently exerted a huge influence on the advancement of Islam in the world. Although the existence of Islam today is really faced with a fairly severe challenge that requires the involvement of various parties concerned. With regard to this, strategic efforts need to be made, among others: by providing knowledge, skills, and piety in all fields (religious, political, economic, social, cultural, educational) so as to give birth to creative, innovative, independent and productive people considering the world to come is a competitive world. Keywords: Islam, The Future, Indonesia


Author(s):  
Jorge Francisco MALEM SEÑA

LABURPENA: Ustelkeria fenomeno unibertsala da. Herrialde, aro, sistema juridiko-politiko eta jarduera publiko edo pribatu guztietara hedatu da. Hala ere, eremu zehatz batzuk direla-eta, ustelkeria errazago hedatzen da planetako zenbait tokitan beste batzuetan baino. Azalpen ona izan daiteke ustelkeria tresna bat dela helburu politiko, ekonomi edo sozial batzuk lortzeko. Esangura horretan, ustelkeria erabiltzea agente ustelaren erabaki arrazionala da. Hori dela eta, elite politikoek eta gizarteak, orokorrean, ez dute beti ustelkeria gaitzetsi. Lan honetan, ustelkeria pizten den hamar testuinguru aztertu dira. Eszenatoki horiek guztiak honelaxe laburbil daitezke: zigorgabetasuna. Zuzenbidea ez denean eragingarria, ustelkeria loratzen da. Ustelkeria politikoa ustelkeriaren eta zigorgabetasunaren aurrean erakutsitako adierazpen bat baino ez da. Zigorgabetasuna amaitzea giza lazeria horri aurre egiteko forma bat da. RESUMEN: La corrupción es un fenómeno universal. Ha atravesado todos los países, todas las épocas, todos los sistemas jurídico-políticos y cualquier actividad pública o privada. A pesar de ello existen ámbitos que provocan que la corrupción se expanda más en algunas zonas del planeta que en otra. Una explicación plausible es que la corrupción juega un papel instrumental para alcanzar determinados fines políticos, económicos o sociales. En ese sentido su uso se corresponde con una decisión racional del agente corrupto. Por ese motivo, las actitudes frente a la corrupción no han sido siempre de rechazo, ni por parte de las élites políticas, ni por parte de la ciudadanía en general. En este trabajo se analiza diez contextos donde se incentiva la corrupción. Estos escenarios pueden resumirse en un único término: impunidad. Cuando el derecho es ineficaz florece la corrupción. La corrupción política es una manifestación más de las actitudes frente a la corrupción y de la ineficacia punitiva. Acabar con la impunidad supone una de las formas de oponerse a esta calamidad humana. ABSTRACT: Corruption is a global phenomenon. It has been experienced by all countries at all times, in any political-legal system and any public or private activity. In spite of this, there are fields that provoke the expansion of corruption to some areas of the world more than others. A plausible explanation would be that corruption plays an instrumental part for the purpose of achieving some political, economic or social aims. In that regard, its usage corresponds with a rational decision by a corrupt agent. That is why the attitudes towards corruption have not always been of rejection not by political elites not by citizenship in general. We analyze in this work ten contexts where corruption is stimulated. These scenarios can be summarized in a single term: impunity. When law is ineffective, corruption thrives. Political corruption is another manifestation of the attitudes towards corruption and of the punitive ineffectiveness. Erradicating impunity is one of the forms of opposition against this human calamity.


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