7/31/2019 pol part 13

1/9

PART 10 REGIME CHANGE

The most striking characteristic of contemporary regime

change is the fall of communism and the establishment ofcapitalism.

The second most widespread change is the transformation ofnoncommunist but nonetheless authoritarian states intomultiparty political system.

Today therefore is not just the time of economic change butalso the hour of democracy.

Modern Democracy is a system of governance in which rulers

are held accountable for their actions in the public realm bycitizens, acting indirectly through the competition andcooperation of their elected representatives. (PhilippeSchmitter and Terry Lynn Karl)

Rule by the people.

7/31/2019 pol part 13

2/9

Democracy does not guarantee social and economicequality nor even a decent standard of living for all.

Democracy does not eliminate immorality and corruption.

2 Advantages of democracy

1. The idea of democracy is appealing; it is highlysatisfactory to believe we are able to participate in

creating and running our own government.2. It provides a more peaceful way of processing conflict and

effecting change than can be found in other systems.

Georg Sorensen: Democracy does not fall from heaven.It is brought about by individuals and groups, by socialactors, who fight for it.

Sorensen believes most transitions to democracy inrecent years have been set up as a result of negotiations

with dominant elites in the former regime

7/31/2019 pol part 13

3/9

Sidney Verba: We do not know how in any precise way

to create democracy out of non-democracywe canprovide support, but whatever grows probably has to

grow uncontrolled and grow outside our control in ways

that are sometimes negative.

The consolidation of democracy is a long and difficult

business.

Doh Chull Shin thinks that the presently democratizingnations tend to lack many factors that facilitate the

process of democratization. Because of this, it is

uncertain whether these democracies will continue to

consolidate or whether they will regress into authoritarian

rule.

7/31/2019 pol part 13

4/9

Kinds of Transitions

1. Communism to Democracy and Free Market

CapitalismEx. The former Soviet satellites in Europe.

In general, all the former Soviet satellite states, ex-

communist now present themselves as reformers who will

ensure that the burden of reform is more equitably shared,not as unregenerate believers determined to turn back the

clock. Communism is out, social democracy is in.

2. Communism toward Free market CapitalismEx. China, North Korea, Vietnam and Cuba.

The decisions of the leaders in China to compete in the

world market brought massive change except in the

political arena.

7/31/2019 pol part 13

5/9

7/31/2019 pol part 13

6/9

7/31/2019 pol part 13

7/9

Organizations that have no aspirations to universality have

also been able to broaden their memberships as political

reasons for declining membership have disappeared andthe economic necessity of not being left behind has

become ever more apparent. (Ex. EC, OECD, ASEAN)

UNs efforts to meet the challenge have been particularlyeffective in providing humanitarian aid that is so

essential a step to the rehabilitation of war torn polities.

International military alliances have been the mostprofoundly affected agencies of international

governance. (Ex. NATO has assumed peace-keeping

functions; Warsaw Pact disappeared)

7/31/2019 pol part 13

8/9

Regime Change and International Non-GovernmentOrganizations

Private international organizations seeking to improve thehuman condition by attacking particular problems are

gathering more international recognition and support, at

the same time, they often find the problems on which

they focus to be ever more massive and intractable.

(Ex. Environmentalists, human rights advocates etc. all

of they had gone international)

The explosion of these groups has been possible

because of the ease of travel and more rapid

communication.

Many of these organizations are directly linked to the

recent upheavals caused by regime change.

7/31/2019 pol part 13

9/9

Regime change and International Business

International business interests have strongly influenced

the decisions of the international funding agencies thatare so active in shaping the new economies; theinvestment opportunities thus produced have in turnrevolutionized the international business world.

The readiness of new regimes to welcome foreign

owners as well as investors has led to the building ofnew plants in cities never considered before.

The competition for TNC investment monies has alsohad a profound effect on First world nations, nowengaged in sometimes drastic recreations of themselves.

TNCs now have amazing powers, surpassing that of thenation-state, They are now at the center of the entireworld-reshaping scheme.