Post-communism and democratic transition
COMTE Astrid LECORDIER Edgar 2024
Legacy is both visible and invisible, material and immaterial
Your time to participate !
*What are the long-lasting effects of communism in post-soviet countries? *In which aeras are there still significant differences with Western countries ?
https://app.wooclap.com/events/ZCIBYA/0
Summary
I. Under the communist regime:
- Distinctive traits of communism
- Social progress under communism
II. Democratic transition:
- Appeal for the West ?
- Role and influence of civil society
Debate
The Long-Term Effects of Communism in Eastern Europe, Nicola Fuchs-Schündeln, Matthias Schündeln, 2020
"Central to communism are strong government interventions in markets, severe limits on political freedom, and low inequality across incomes and genders"
01
Under the communist regime
Centralized economy and redistribution, gender equality and other social progress
A public economy:
A highly centralized economy:
Gender Equality:
Abortion
Current state of abortion legislation
On Request (Gestational Limits Vary)Broad Social or Economic GroundsTo Preserve Health.
"Feminist scholars have identified the transition from communism to the liberal-democratic system after 1989 as a decisive break
from communist policies of “equality,” contending that the shift was particularly
detrimental to women. This included repressive reproductive policies, the feminization of poverty, sex trafficking, and renewed nationalist and religious movements
that delegated women to the confined roles of mothers and housewives"
Gender Equality:
Abortion
Historical differences betweeen West and Eastern blocs
Gender Equality:
Abortion
Pecularities of Romania and Bulgaria -Communism and Pronatalism
BULGARIA - authorised on request from 1956 1968 = banned it for childless women and introduced further restrictive conditions in 1973. By request relegalized in 1990 ROMANIA legalised abortion in 1956, 1966 = Ceausescu's pro-natalist policy. --> sharp rise in maternal mortality (clandestine abortions)
Gender Equality:
On the labor market
Gender Equality:
Normalization of woman in the Labor market
02
Democratic transition
Western influence and/or "civil society"
A)
A democratic transition through an economic one
Democratic transition:
Actual democratisation levels
Democratic transition:
Differences in democratic preferences Is democracy preferable to any other form of political system ?
B)
A democratic transition through endemic change ; the role of "civil society"
Democratic transition:
Additional factors that led to the collapse of communism as a system (Brown) : - social change
- economic problems
- nationalism
- critical thinking within the party,
- transformational leadership,
- reform
- free flow of information
- international context
Democratic transition:
Resistance under communist rule :
Means :- Workers’ absenteeism
- Listening to foreign radio
- Non-compliant style of dress
- Rock music
- Subversive “texts” in official literature and art
- Private conversations critical of the state
Everyday forms of resistance
Actors :- Religious groups
- Members of the postwar anti-communist resistance
- Radical nationalists
- Environmentalists
- Artists
- Students
- Former and contemporary communists
Many people shifted allegiances over time or belonged to several categories at the
same time
What they coveted was the social space for a free public life. To the extent that capitalism provided for that space, they were “for capitalism.” To the extent that capitalism limited social space according to market constraints,they were “against capitalism.” And the same goes for “socialism.” To the extent that it undercut market constraints on freedom, great; to the extent that it undercut democratic freedoms themselves, down with it.
David Ost
C)
The example of Solidarność
Democratic transition:
The concept of anti-politics (Győrgy Konrád & David Ost) :The belief that what is essential to a just order is not a benign government and good people in power, but rather a vital, active, aware, and self-governing creative society.
Conclusion
Debate :
-Why Romania, a multi-ethnic state, did not disintegrate after the fall of communism like Yugoslavia and Czechoslovakia did? - Happiness gap - Religion, education... other factors mentioned in the brainstorming session
Post communism and democratic transition
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Transcript
Post-communism and democratic transition
COMTE Astrid LECORDIER Edgar 2024
Legacy is both visible and invisible, material and immaterial
Your time to participate !
*What are the long-lasting effects of communism in post-soviet countries? *In which aeras are there still significant differences with Western countries ?
https://app.wooclap.com/events/ZCIBYA/0
Summary
I. Under the communist regime:
- Distinctive traits of communism
- Social progress under communism
II. Democratic transition:Debate
The Long-Term Effects of Communism in Eastern Europe, Nicola Fuchs-Schündeln, Matthias Schündeln, 2020
"Central to communism are strong government interventions in markets, severe limits on political freedom, and low inequality across incomes and genders"
01
Under the communist regime
Centralized economy and redistribution, gender equality and other social progress
A public economy:
A highly centralized economy:
Gender Equality:
Abortion
Current state of abortion legislation
On Request (Gestational Limits Vary)Broad Social or Economic GroundsTo Preserve Health.
"Feminist scholars have identified the transition from communism to the liberal-democratic system after 1989 as a decisive break from communist policies of “equality,” contending that the shift was particularly detrimental to women. This included repressive reproductive policies, the feminization of poverty, sex trafficking, and renewed nationalist and religious movements that delegated women to the confined roles of mothers and housewives"
Gender Equality:
Abortion
Historical differences betweeen West and Eastern blocs
Gender Equality:
Abortion
Pecularities of Romania and Bulgaria -Communism and Pronatalism
BULGARIA - authorised on request from 1956 1968 = banned it for childless women and introduced further restrictive conditions in 1973. By request relegalized in 1990 ROMANIA legalised abortion in 1956, 1966 = Ceausescu's pro-natalist policy. --> sharp rise in maternal mortality (clandestine abortions)
Gender Equality:
On the labor market
Gender Equality:
Normalization of woman in the Labor market
02
Democratic transition
Western influence and/or "civil society"
A)
A democratic transition through an economic one
Democratic transition:
Actual democratisation levels
Democratic transition:
Differences in democratic preferences Is democracy preferable to any other form of political system ?
B)
A democratic transition through endemic change ; the role of "civil society"
Democratic transition:
Additional factors that led to the collapse of communism as a system (Brown) :- social change
- economic problems
- nationalism
- critical thinking within the party,
- transformational leadership,
- reform
- free flow of information
- international context
Democratic transition:
Resistance under communist rule :
Means :
- Workers’ absenteeism
- Listening to foreign radio
- Non-compliant style of dress
- Rock music
- Subversive “texts” in official literature and art
- Private conversations critical of the state
Everyday forms of resistanceActors :
- Religious groups
- Members of the postwar anti-communist resistance
- Radical nationalists
- Environmentalists
- Artists
- Students
- Former and contemporary communists
Many people shifted allegiances over time or belonged to several categories at the same timeWhat they coveted was the social space for a free public life. To the extent that capitalism provided for that space, they were “for capitalism.” To the extent that capitalism limited social space according to market constraints,they were “against capitalism.” And the same goes for “socialism.” To the extent that it undercut market constraints on freedom, great; to the extent that it undercut democratic freedoms themselves, down with it.
David Ost
C)
The example of Solidarność
Democratic transition:
The concept of anti-politics (Győrgy Konrád & David Ost) :The belief that what is essential to a just order is not a benign government and good people in power, but rather a vital, active, aware, and self-governing creative society.
Conclusion
Debate :
-Why Romania, a multi-ethnic state, did not disintegrate after the fall of communism like Yugoslavia and Czechoslovakia did? - Happiness gap - Religion, education... other factors mentioned in the brainstorming session