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Teaching Elites Democratization

Teaching Elites Democratization. Vello Pettai , Allan Sikk Dept of Political Science, Univ. of Tartu. Why elites?. Communist system par excellence an elite-led political system Politburo--narrow group of leaders no transparency; arbitrary rule; no accountability

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Teaching Elites Democratization

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  1. Teaching Elites Democratization Vello Pettai, Allan Sikk Dept of Political Science, Univ. of Tartu

  2. Why elites? • Communist system par excellence an elite-led political system • Politburo--narrow group of leaders • no transparency; arbitrary rule; no accountability • A whole network of elite relations: CPSU • people initiated, trained into a special club • personal links • Secrecy and persecution • secret agent networks

  3. Transition itself: negotiating change • regime liberalization: cracking open the door • hardliners, reformers; moderates, radicals • (A. Przeworski, Democracy and the Market) • ‘pacts’: what deals are made? • secret contacts, frantic negotiations, roundtable talks, formal agreements studies in political strategy, political courage, political maturity

  4. ‘They didn’t just disappear...’ • Top-level leaders: exile, retirement, reclusion • Dismantling the old networks and apparatus • organizational issues: property, resources • From party boss to business oligarch • links between communist elite networks and the new capitalist class • urban and rural • Normative, ethical issues • crimes against humanity, individual persecution

  5. What effect do they have now? • The legacy: real or mystified? • social relations remain • social activism remains • but do they still ‘rule’? • How do we study this? • track Communist Party membership??? • categorize types of behavior? • What causality can we ascribe to this?

  6. Democratic elites • Measuring the emergence and prevalence of an alternative elite • not only do the old fade away, but the new come to the fore • Not just dissidents, but also new leaders • young people especially in CEE • Tracking aggregate shifts among elites • experience, cohesion, diversity

  7. Political experience • In what forms and at what pace do new elites gain and demonstrate alternative, democratic political experience? • Indicators: • re-election rates to parliament • rates of repeat candidacy • levels of electoral experience among candidates • education, professional experience, age

  8. Political cohesion • In what ways and at what pace does the new elite demonstrate cohesion? • Indicators: • defection rates among MPs • repeat candidates by party • party choice among new candidates • party seniority among candidates

  9. Political diversity • In what ways and at what pace does the new elite exhibit diversity, representativity across a range of cleavages or interest groups? • Indicators: • gender balances • minorities • regional representation • social strata, wealth • number of candidates per voter

  10. Challenges in teaching democratization • Using Western categories? • Using Western standards? • Procedures versus substance • Institutions versus values/political culture • Variation between countries • Conclusions can prove wrong

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