Saturday, November 29, 2008
The Financial Crisis and its effects on politics in the Developing World
However, I believe the traditional imbalance of power between developed and developing countries in policy making in the international community is starting to change with the now-global financial crisis. The best example of this is the recent G20 meeting on the financial crisis. The G20 comprises about 90% of the global GDP, and is much more of a truly international economic body than the G7 or G8 and includes many developing countries that also have rapidly expanding economies. This inclusion of those outside the usual clique of developed industrialized nations in developing international policy that the G8 leaders are aware of how much assistance they are going to need from developing countries to get out of this current economic crisis. Not only are developing countries getting a seat at the table for a critical international issue, they also currently hold significant power in developing policy as they are the countries whose banks are in the best health.
This shift of power, while subtle now, will only get more visible as time goes on. For to resolve the financial crisis, there needs to be cooperation and assistance from many developing countries and international policy can no longer be solely determined by the developed world as they are the ones trapped in crisis. The policy of international organizations and the international community can finally be international, instead of being an extra political limb for the Western world.
Friday, November 21, 2008
A Reflection on Last Week's Articles
Meredith addresses the corruption and its relation to economic development in a section of the book on India. During the 1970s and 1980s, when bizarre and restraining economic laws had been put into place, corruption was widespread since many of the laws required a license to be obtained and one usually needed to use bribery or other corrupt methods. Buruma suggests that corruption is endemic and perhaps inevitable in any transition to democracy, given the new opportunities for making money and taking advantage of people. Buruma also notes that Russians claim their brand of democracy is less destructive because it is out in the open and discussed, while presumably the Chinese keep it hidden.
Both authors agree that transitions to capitalism have a number of possible issues with the population. However, neither seems to suggest that the problems of corruption will be endless and problematic for the future of the system. The issue of dissent, though, is the big unknown and the possible serious problem. Imagine if all the rural Chinese revolted. There could be huge implications for the global market as well as domestic security.
Thursday, November 20, 2008
Variation in Ethnic Violence
First of all, while pointing out that ethnic violence is certainly not ubiquitous, Brubaker and Laitin do emphasize the recent increase in its occurrence in regions of the former Soviet Union and Sub-Saharan Africa. The first explanation concerns the decline or “decay of the Weberian state”, an argument which utilizes Max Weber’s definition of the state as an entity that has a monopoly on the legitimate use of violence within a territory, or a defined piece of real estate. Brubaker and Laitin point out that inability of states in the developing world to maintain order as a result of diminishing transnational, state-strengthening resources. The lack of an “external patron” to help maintain peace in the region makes ethnic cleavages more likely to translate into conflict, and ultimately, erupt into violence.
What Brubaker and Laitin fail to point out in this discussion, however, is the analogous ability of transnational resources to function as means for furthering ethnic violence. For example, in the case of Sub-Saharan Africa, I would argue that the availability of economic and military resources to the Yakouba ethnic group in Cote d’Ivoire from their kin across the Liberian border largely influenced their choice of armed violence rather than non-violent protest against the government in 2002. The availability of transnational resources can therefore play a role in the method of protest—violent or non-violent—that an ethnic group may choose.
Brubaker and Laitin’s second explanation concerns the ideological shifts that have occurred since the fall of Communism. The authors point to ethnic separatist movements between the 1950s and 1980s that framed the struggle between the opposition and the incumbent in the context of the larger struggle between communism and capitalism. Today, as many NGOs and international institutions are beginning to recognize individual ethnic group claims, the incentive of violent challengers to structure their struggle in the context of human rights and ethnic claims has strengthened. In fact, this “ethnicization” of violence is perhaps the underlying reason behind Brubaker and Laitin’s claim that interpretations of violent struggles as exemplars of ethnic violence are subject to so much dispute.
When examining violence within the framework of ethnic conflict, Brubaker and Laitin point out the importance of looking at violence not as a degree but rather, as a phase of conflict. The authors, therefore, establish the definition of ethnic violence to as “violence perpetrated across ethnic lines, in which at least one party is not a state, and in which the ethnic difference is noted…as having been integral rather than incidental to the violence.” They then provide an analytical review of the literature on ethnic violence, examining three particular approaches to ethnic violence: inductive or data-driven, theory-driven (deriving from realism, game theory and rational choice theory) and culturalist. Within the inductive approach, what I found most interesting was Laitin and Brubaker’s discussion of the variation between regions with similar ethnic tensions in which one has erupted into ethnic violence while ethnic conflict in the other region has been largely nonviolent. Many questions arise when examining this variation, as in the case between the Basques and the Catalan. Why is it that ethnic conflict has been characterized by the violence of the terrorist ETA while the conflict in Catalonia has been relatively non-violent? If Laitin and Brubaker define violence as a phase in ethnic conflict, is it only a matter of time before ethnic conflict will erupt into violence in the autonomous region of Catalonia? In analyzing these questions, I found it especially helpful to look at Brubaker and Laitin’s “cultural construction of fear” within their cultural approaches. Indeed, the legacy of Francisco Franco’s repression and attempted elimination of Basque and Catalan language and culture in attempt to establish a unified, centralist Spanish identity still continues today. However, it seems that while the main concern in Catalonia has been the perpetuation of its language and culture, the Basque language, spoken and understood by less than one-fourth of the ethnic group, has been more a source of division than anything else. Therefore, Basque nationalism is still largely based on the fear of centralist repression (from the Spanish state) rather than on its common cultural or linguistic identity.
As I attempted to analyze and digest Brubaker and Laitin’s three approaches towards ethnic conflict, the existing variation and heterogeneity between occurrences of ethnic violence became a dominant theme. Brubaker and Laitin’s discussion of the need to identify, analyze and explain the differences between instances of ethnic violence is a extremely valuable, for, rather than attempting to construct one enormous and dilute theory of ethnic violence, we are better off analyzing the variations first and foremost. After all, that is what comparative politics is all about.
Iran, an Exception to Modernization
Military control, however, is different than social control. Although Muhammad Reza Shah had an army that unquestionably supported him, he never quite understood what Iranians wanted. The shah spoke of the bazaars, a traditionally important merchant group in Iran, in a way that seemed to ignore Iranian history. He described them as "a fanatical lot, highly resistant to change." Indeed, he even said that "their time is past". And therefore, regardless of what the bazaars wanted, he would persist on his path to modernity. The Iranians, in contrast to the example of India, Egypt, and Israel of the same time period, did not want to follow along. The determination of the Shah to modernize managed to create a reactionary tendency in many Iranians to avoid modernity, with some, in complete opposition to the Shah's reasoning, saw a return to strict Islamic principles as the only way Iran could actually flourish. For a leader to be truly powerful influential, this canyon between the Shah and Iranians demonstrates, he/she must maintain some favor in the eyes of at least some of his/her population
Iran provides some lessons to other states, particularly those in the Middle East. Forced mobilization is different social mobilization. One country in particular is walking a fine line. Egypt, which is seeing a growth of Islamic civil society, has a constitution which claims that any legislation must be in accordance with Islam. On the other hand, political parties with a religious agenda are banned. If Egypt does not accept the tendencies of its population, it might soon spark a reactionary attitude, similar to that of the Islamic Republic.
Islamic Movements vs. Democracy
Wednesday, November 19, 2008
Give Them a Break
In my opinion, even though I know or at least I assume Western states and institutions have the best intentions, it was and still is unfair for them to demand so much of developing nations because while they (Western states) were developing, they never had to wrestle with outside states or institutions instructing them on how they should run their governments, economies and societies, rather they were left to their own devices and allowed to develop at their own pace. Of course, the global environment was different during the development of Western states and I am not arguing that Western states and institutions stop providing aid. What I am arguing for is a new way to approach the distribution of aid, a way that empowers states instead of humiliating and weakening them. Perhaps, we need to return to the idea of the developmental state and channel monetary aid through the governments and in doing so give power back to the leaders of states. Of course, this is challenging, since many developing states are weak and therefore their governments are poor instruments for development purposed. However, the purpose of developmental aid is to strengthen governments and maybe, in order to strengthen governments we need to give them greater responsibility.
Tuesday, November 18, 2008
The Future of Islam
Unfortunately, I think the fact that Islam is the foundation for governing will prevent an adequate and satisfactory democracy from being achieved. I feel that one interprets their faith in many different ways. A prime example of this is the September 11 attacks. Some scholars make the point that Osama Bin Laden interpreted the Koran in a way that seemed to encourage such violence like what occurred. Others say that Bin Laden isn’t a true Muslim.
I think the point here is that it would be tough for a group of people in a state to come to a consensus on exactly how the Koran says to rule a state. I think this is why a majority of Islamic ruled regimes are ruled by a select few, i.e. Saudi Arabia. In my opinion, these differing interpretations are what lead to radical movements and groups like Hamas forming. The people who form these groups are so fed up with someone else’s interpretation of their faith that they decide to forcefully practice their own way. In this way, they not only separate themselves from the state’s sovereignty but furthermore create a gateway for others to rebel as well.
In my opinion, I think Islamist groups can evolve into global democratic leaders across the world. However, I think these groups will only work if they disassociate themselves from the state and its connection to the Koran. In order to do so, I think the best way would be to establish a nonviolent agenda that circumnavigates the general philosophy of Islam.
Does Ethnic Diversity cause Political Violence?
Rather than presenting a mathematical model to provide evidence on why his thesis is correct, he confuses his reader and in my opinion proves the antithesis. He says that when an ethnic group represents the hegemony then the chance of violence is greater. In the case of Africa, most of the ruling parties are seen as the hegemonic power, though they might not be the full majority, they are most probably viewed as the hegemony to the other ethnic groups. According to Bates, if the other ethnic groups feel a hegemonic power they are more prone to political violence. Bates says that this is usually possible when the ethnic group represent 50 percent or more of population. I would suggest that a majority of ruling parties in Africa are seen as the hegemonic power and are therefore ruling, but do not represent more than 50 percent of the population.
Thursday, November 13, 2008
The Chinese Exception
As Mary Gallagher notes in “Reform and Openness,” many ex-Communist states have faced political instability which lead to the collapse of socialism because they “failed to keep up their end of the social contract” (Gallagher 1). In contrast, China's slow and successful implementation of economic reforms has acquiesced any major political concerns its population may have as “many Chinese people crave stability and economic progress more than they long for a voice in politics” (Meredith 155).
Although both Gallagher and Meredith offer some sliver of hope in regards to the future Chinese democracy, I would argue that economic development has in many ways solidified the CCP's standing among its citizens, and there is no imminent demand for democracy or democratic political reforms. Gallagher argues that democracy has been delayed but that the integration of China's legal system to global standards will eventually stimulate political change (Gallagher 17). Similarly, Meredith contends that “the political atmosphere has improved” because some abuses have been “declared illegal—in word” and there has been an increased number of protests (Meredith 152-153).
While these offer hope for increased rule of law in China, they do not point to the path of democracy. First off, China has a weak civil society characteristic of most post-Communist countries especially among the urban poor and rural populations. Moreover, the Chinese governments intense fear of political instability has led them to constantly make economic accomodations to possible voices of dissent. For example, the recent economic stimulus package and land reforms clearly target the rural protests over property and the urban poor threatened by the United States' (and as a result, China's) economic slowdown. Although property rights are a feasible future development in China's political climate, democracy is not. There is an entrenched cultural ideology of authoritarian norms due to China's history as always being under some kind of authoritarian state, and without the catalyst of a severe economic downturn, the CCP will maintain its legitimacy and stronghold over the Chinese state.
Is democratization really an issue in contemporary China?
Mary Elizabeth Gallagher in her “Reform and Openness” article claims to take a different direction than the influential Lipset article that claims a causal relationship between economic growth and a movement towards democratization. In “Reform and Openness,” Gallagher focuses on the early implementations and inflows of FDI and how it allowed the authoritarian regime to stay, with relative stability, in mainland
Although Gallagher’s views may seem different from others in the field, it still essentially accepts the Lipset theory as a stated fact. The entire article suggests that
Gallagher’s article does not acknowledge the possibility that the Chinese people may not necessarily care to democratize at all, at least during the current times. Her attention to FDI, while raising several good points about why
A "Virtual President" for a "Virtual Democracy"
China, India, and Development Strategy
As Meredith’s book is not particularly academic, she does not draw any general theoretical conclusions about development from the Chinese and Indian cases. These can be inferred, however, by comparing and contrasting the Indian and Chinese approaches to development. Some theoretical conclusions about development strategy can be made and applied to other cases in the developing world. First, both countries have been successful in attracting high levels of foreign direct investment. As these states broke down the barriers, either protectionist or socialist, that prevented the inflow of FDI, they experienced massive influxes of foreign capital. This investment has been crucial for the development of industrial capabilities. Secondly, both countries have made significant investments in domestic infrastructure, although India currently lags far behind China with respect to infrastructure development. China’s superior infrastructure has given it an advantage in attracting export-oriented industries that require the transformation of massive amounts of goods. India has been less successful in developing industry because of its poor infrastructure. Thus, infrastructure development is a crucial component of any development strategy. Finally, some aspects of India and China’s development strategies can be linked to their contrasting political systems. India, as a democracy, has implemented reforms in a piecemeal fashion, with progress being contingent on the political environment. China, on the other hand, has been able to implement a continuous series of reforms through its rule by fiat. It could thus be argued that authoritarian rule is actually conducive to the implementation of a coherent development strategy.
Drawing from the cases of China and India, it can be concluded that attracting foreign direct investment and modernizing infrastructure are crucial components of a development strategy. A more controversial conclusion would be that it is easier to achieve development under the leadership of an authoritarian states. Outside of the realm of economic development, however, authoritarianism has more nefarious consequences that must be considered. These have not yet emerged in China, but many expect that they eventually will and could bring the entire development project to a halt.
How FDIs Have Served as a Key Factor in Delaying Democracy in China
Thursday, November 6, 2008
The Effects of Weak Civil Society on EU development
In "The Weakness of Post-Communist Civil Society,” Howard contends that the civil society in Post-Communist countries is distinctively weaker due to “the legacy of mistrust of communist organizations” and “post-communist disappointment” among other reasons. While Howard abstains from declaring that the low level of participation in civil society means that post-communist democracy development is doomed, I think the weakness of Post-Communist civil society has more important implications if viewed within the context of EU development.
The EU is currently grappling with developing a distinct political identity and is significantly hindered by the low turnout in EU elections and the democracy deficit. However, if this deficit is demolished with a reform of the EU power distribution, it threatens to even more divide the EU between the “Kern Europa”—the core of the EU, and historical leaders of Western Europe: France, Germany, and England—and the other smaller EU members, many of which were formally a part of the USSR. Following Howard’s data on Post-Communist civil society, even if all EU citizens are given a greater role in determining those in power in the EU, those citizens in Post-Communist countries are significantly more likely to not participate in elections because of their legacy of mistrust of organizations and post-communist disappointment in the economic and political development of the new system.
As a result, the fragmentation of the EU political identity will increase as Post-Communist countries struggle to develop civic participation and a typical European democracy. Despite how economically integrated and united the EU is, the differences in the style and dynamics of the democracies of various member states creates an enormous obstacle in establishing a united political policy. Moreover, due to the “legacy of mistrust” and “post-communist disappointment” most Post-Communist countries will be inherently wary of any strong movements for a united EU political identity as they will be reminiscent of the restrictive policies of communist ideology.Howard & McFaul
Even though civil society institutions have declined in the postcommunist era, Michael McFaul demonstrates in his article “Transitions from Postcommunism” that during the transition towards democracy there were many groups formed in order to unseat the incumbent regimes. Why would civil society be much stronger in the period of time before the transition than once democracy has already been established? Howard’s explanations do not fit to explain this phenomenon, because groups formed during this period even though there existed resentment and mistrust of communist organizations, and close friendship networks. The reason civil society was stronger before and during the transition towards democracy is that the citizens came together under the banner of a single cause in order to fight for that in which they believed.
McFaul outlines the factors that allowed groups to form, including a semi-autocratic regime, an unpopular current leader, and a united opposition. Because of the common objection to the incumbent leader, groups came together with that as a common interest. While Howard’s criteria serve to explain the current lack of participation in many social groups, etc., another reason that civil society, and in particular the participation in activist groups has declined, is because the citizens have already achieved some semblance of democracy. Although the degree to which these new governments can be considered truly democratic varies greatly, for the most part the political groups achieved their end, and the citizens now have much less of a reason to organize. This must be considered another important factor contributing to the decline of civil society in postcommunist societies.
Government is an Unlikely Agent of Change for Postcommunist Civil Society
Howard discusses the legacy of the communist experience as one of the primary causes of the current civil society deficit in many postcommunist countries. Under communism, participation in civil organizations was neither independent of the state nor voluntary. Rather, citizens were obliged to join certain state-run civil and social organizations, largely so that the state could monitor and channel the activities of its citizens. For the most part, citizens disliked such forced participation in social organizations. Thus, they were more likely to form small social networks consisting of close friends and family. This legacy of the communist system has persisted into the postcommunist era, resulting in a deficit of civil society organizations. Citizens have embraced freedom as granting them the right to not participate in civil society, rather than the other way around.
Howard asserts that the civil society deficit can in part be corrected by an active role for the state in ‘facilitating the existence and flourishing of civil society organizations.’ This seems to be at odds, however, with the very cause of the civil society deficit, and would probably be more counterproductive than helpful. Under communism, the only civil society organizations were run by the state, and very unpopular. Given the persistence of the communist legacy, most citizens of postcommunist states would probably be wary of any attempts by their governments to create and encourage civil society organizations. They would be likely to equate these with the organizations that existed ender the communist state, and thus unlikely to participate.
If this is indeed the case, it seems to indicate that the outlook for postcommunist civil society is bleak, at least in the short term. As long as the majority of citizens, especially those in positions of power, have an outlook colored by the communist experience, civil society participation is likely to be low. Therefore, change is most likely to come as the result of generational change and the resultant shifts in attitude towards civil society participation.