scholarly journals Democratic Stability: A Long View

2020 ◽  
Vol 23 (1) ◽  
pp. 59-75
Author(s):  
Federica Carugati

What are the sources of democratic stability? The evidence from three modern waves suggests that stability rests on economic growth, strong states, and liberal institutions. But can we secure democratic stability beyond liberalism? This question is relevant to those developing countries that have little hope, and perhaps little interest in liberal democracy. But it is also increasingly relevant to those developed nations where the achievements of the twentieth-century liberal order are being eroded. This article takes a fresh look at democratic stability by reviewing the evidence from the last two and a half millennia. Particular attention is devoted to the case of ancient Athens, which highlights the importance of alignment between shared norms and appropriately designed institutions. Athens’ case suggests that goods that we usually associate with modern liberal democracy do not necessarily rely on a given set of values and do not have a unique institutional manifestation.

Author(s):  
Svetlana Shcherbak

In this article, we discuss the modernization hypothesis in consideration of the causes of democratization related to economic development. The modernization hypothesis was formulated in the mid-twentieth century in the midst of specific economic and socio-political conditions. Since then, both societies and representations of their developments have changed. Current research disregards these transformations; therefore, with this work, we aim to fill the gap. We make clear how the neo-liberal turn influenced representations of economic development and democracy. Realization of the neo-liberal economic policy resulted in important social changes, particularly the rise of inequality and the wave of populism that endangers liberal democracy. At the same time, the modernization hypothesis is based on presumptions that economic development leads to income equalization and the creation of the broad middle class. Our analysis reveals that empirical surveys tend to confirm the relationship between economic development and democracy. However, economic growth does not necessarily entail more equal income distribution. The rise of populism indirectly confirms the rightness of the modernization hypothesis and suggests an important role for class dynamics. Democratization necessitates not only the establishment of liberal institutions but also the transformation of the social structure via convergence of incomes.


1994 ◽  
Vol 32 (3) ◽  
pp. 499-521 ◽  
Author(s):  
Kenneth Good

Independent Botswana has developed on three main pillars: rapid and sustained economic growth (over the decade to 1992, for example, at 8.4 per cent a year, third-highest among all developing countries, and far in excess of any other in Africa); multi-party or liberal democracy; and an efficient central state, the main features of which have been identified and praised by observers. With growth, an accompanying build-up of a relatively strong governmental system took place, with activities especially focused on finance and planning. The civil service was maintained at a high level, according to Ravi Gulhati, by avoiding rapid localisation, by providing high compensation for officials, and by keeping well-defined lines of authority and accountability. Able people were placed in key positions and kept there for extended periods. The political elite fairly consistently sought expert advice from leading bureaucrats, and the two groups have displayed a closeness and mutuality of interest built upon their common involvement in cattle and commerce, and the not uncommon tendency for cabinet ministers to arise from the ranks of the senior bureaucracy.


2008 ◽  
Vol 57 (1) ◽  
pp. 113-147 ◽  
Author(s):  
Stephanie Switzer

AbstractThis article will question the legality of measures of environmental ‘conditionality’ in the Generalized System of Preferences [GSP] of the European Community [EC].1 The GSP is a GATT/WTO2 authorized scheme which permits developed nations to grant non-reciprocal tariff preferences in favour of developing countries.3 The objectives of the GSP are primarily development-oriented in that it aims to increase the export earnings of developing countries, promote their industrialization and accelerate rates of economic growth.4 A recent case taken in the WTO examined the legal contours of the grant of tariff preferences and it is in the light of this that this article will examine the so-called ‘special incentive arrangements’ of the reformed EC GSP which offers additional tariff preferences to developing countries on the ‘condition’ that they adhere to specified standards of environmental protection.


2004 ◽  
pp. 66-76
Author(s):  
E. Hershberg

The influence of globalization on international competitiveness is considered in the article. Two strategies of economic growth are pointed out: the low road, that is producing more at lower cost and lower wages, with increasingly intensive exploitation of labor and environment, and the high road, that is upgrading capabilities in order to produce better basing on knowledge. Restrictions for developing countries trying to reach global competitiveness are formulated. Special attention is paid to the concept of upgrading and opportunities of joining transnational value chains. The importance of learning and forming social and political institutions for successful upgrading of the economy is stressed.


Author(s):  
Huong Vu Thanh ◽  
Thu Anh Nguyen ◽  
Mai Thi Thanh Nguyen

Technological innovation state funds supporting small and medium enterprises (SMEs) are not common in the developing countries like Vietnam, but are common in the developed nations like the European countries and Korea. The financial and non-financial support of these funds has contributed significantly to the development of many SMEs. Learning from the funds which have successfully facilitated SMEs in innovating and developing advanced technologies is meaningful to the Vietnamese sicence and techonology management bodies and state funds. This article will review the experience of some typical fund in supporting SMEs, thereby providing some lessons for technology innovation Funds of Vietnam to create a more favorable environment for SMEs to access funds.


1994 ◽  
Vol 33 (4I) ◽  
pp. 327-356 ◽  
Author(s):  
Richard G. Lipsey

I am honoured to be invited to give this lecture before so distinguished an audience of development economists. For the last 21/2 years I have been director of a project financed by the Canadian Institute for Advanced Research and composed of a group of scholars from Canada, the United States, and Israel.I Our brief is to study the determinants of long term economic growth. Although our primary focus is on advanced industrial countries such as my own, some of us have come to the conclusion that there is more common ground between developed and developing countries than we might have first thought. I am, however, no expert on development economics so I must let you decide how much of what I say is applicable to economies such as your own. Today, I will discuss some of the grand themes that have arisen in my studies with our group. In the short time available, I can only allude to how these themes are rooted in our more detailed studies. In doing this, I must hasten to add that I speak for myself alone; our group has no corporate view other than the sum of our individual, and very individualistic, views.


2017 ◽  
Vol 1 (2) ◽  
pp. 205
Author(s):  
Gideon J. ◽  
Edgar H. ◽  
Ivan I. ◽  
Nabil N. ◽  
Aptina A. ◽  
...  

<p>People Tax is the main source of state income. The better the tax policy of a country, the better the development of a country. One of the factors that influence the level of public awareness in paying taxes is corruption. Study shows that tax collection is one of them influenced by corruption. In the data of Corruption Perceptions Index 2016 reported by Transparency International, Indonesia is ranked 90 out of 176 countries. Tax evasion is a serious problem for many countries. Every year, the government loses revenue potential as many residents evade taxes in various ways. For this reason, the government implements tax amnesty. Tax amnesty is designed to permanently reduce the amount of underground economy activity, thereby increasing tax revenues in the future and developing countries can grow well.</p>


2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Lungwani Muungo

Despite major improvements in diagnostics and interventional therapies, cardiovascular diseases remain a major healthcare and socio-economic burden both in western and developing countries, in which this burden is increasing in closecorrelation to economic growth. Health authorities and the general population have started to recognize that the fightagainst these diseases can only be won if their burden is faced by increasing our investment on interventions in lifestylechanges and prevention. There is an overwhelming evidence of the efficacy of secondary prevention initiatives includingcardiac rehabilitation in terms of reduction in morbidity and mortality. However, secondary prevention is still too poorlyimplemented in clinical practice, often only on selected populations and over a limited period of time. The developmentof systematic and full comprehensive preventive programmes is warranted, integrated in the organization ofnational health systems. Furthermore, systematic monitoring of the process of delivery and outcomes is a necessity.


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