Governance in Business and Government

1. Governance in Business and Government Democratization

2. Democratisation • ‘Democratisation studies examine and explain the processes whereby government, states and societies attempt to move away from some form of authoritarianism towards some form of democracy’ (Grugel: 2002)

3. Democracy • ‘a mode of decision-making about collectively binding rules and policies over which the people exercise control, and the most democratic arrangement [is] that where all members of the collectivity enjoy effective equal rights to take part in such decision-making directly.’ (Beetham: 1992)

4. Democratisation in the Arab World • How did it all start? • On 17 December 2010, Mohamed Bouazizi, a poor vegetable seller had his cart confiscated and was humiliated by a policewomen in the town of Sidi Bouzid. Municipal officials refused to see him. Bouazizi doused himself in a flammable liquid and set fire to himself. • This was the catalyst for riots and protests in Tunisia which then spread across the Arab World to challenge other longstanding authoritarian regimes

6. Democratisation in the Arab World • Tunisia • After several weeks of anti government demonstrations, the Jasmine Revolution, President Ben Ali fled the country • 23 years in power • First interim PM too closely identified with old regime and replaced by opposition figures • Elections on 24 July to choose a constituent assembly to rewrite constitution

7. Democratisation in the Arab World • Egypt • Started with a protest demonstration on 25 January 2011 a national holiday to commemorate the police • From ‘a day of rage’ the protest movement moved towards demands for regime change • Daily mass protests focused on Tahrir Square • 3 March President Mubarak resigned after over 3 decades in office • Supposed to be a referendum on constitutional amendment in June followed by an election 6 weeks later • Over 400 killed

8. Democratisation in the Arab World • Libya • Protests began in Benghazi after police shot two men at a rally demanding the release of a human rights lawyer • Colonel Gaddafi (and family) in power for 40 years although he says People’s Committees’ and General People’s Congress rule • Developed into civil war

9. Scenes from the North African Uprisings

11. What caused the uprisings? • First, what DID NOT cause the uprisings: • No foreign agency • No Al Queda or associates • No religious-based ideology • No disaffected elites • No military participation • The democratic uprisings or revolutions came as a surprise – especially to foreign powers which had propped up authoritarian regimes

12. What caused the uprisings? • Poverty • Social exclusion • Demographic bulge of young people with no work • Corruption • Personal enrichment of leaders and cronies • Rising prices • Awareness of political alternatives • Lack of political freedoms • Feelings of relative deprivation • Higher levels of education

13. General observations: the events • The uprisings revealed disillusionment and anger across the region • Great structural tensions • Secular rather than religious character • Distributed leadership in uprisings • Coming together of different groups (classes, gender, ideologies) • Determination to take national control of history • Countries least effected made early concessions or had superior coercive powers

14. Future prospects • Egypt • Interim government • Working towards constitutional change • Elections keenly contested –Islamist President • Military a key in Egypt as other government institutions dysfunctional and subject to strikes • Muslim Brotherhood could do well in Egypt • Egypt still unsettled – riots going on – as people annoyed at slow pace of change and some anti-democratic decisions of the President

15. Tunisia • Most prosperous of the countries in North Africa • Former ruling party banned • Constitutional change • 100+ political parties registered • Elections in October 2011 • 90% turn-out • Islamist victory BUT people don’t seem to want an Islamist state RATHER see Islamists as providing the cleanest break with corrupt authoritarian past

16. Tunisia • Murder of leading opposition politician in February 2013 • Protests and counter protests • PM dissolved government and tried unsuccessfully to set up cabinet of technocrats • His party objected and he resigned

17. Future prospects • Libya • A civil war in Libya • Government forces fired live ammunition at protesters – more severe reaction than elsewhere • Extraordinary outpouring of hatred for Gaddafi regime from his grassroots opponents • Gaddafi forces included foreign mercenaries • Some Libyan military defected as rebels marched on to defeat Gaddafi • NATO support for rebels • Now interim government and patchwork of armed militias • Human rights abuses • Difficult to judge who has legitimacy and what system of government will emerge

18. Future prospects • Syria • President Assad took over from father in 2000 and promised reform • Little has changed including 1963 Emergency Law • Protests started in March 2011 and spread • At least 60,000 killed • Military deserters and some citizens turned struggle into armed conflict • Government calls them ‘terrorists and armed gangs’ and talks of ‘international conspiracy’ • Arab League peace monitors no effect • Russia and China prevented action from UN • No sign of resolution

19. Future prospects • Protests still continue in countries across the region, most seriously in Yemen • Some regimes (eg Jordan, Algeria) have attempted to placate protesters by promising changes or bringing in the opposition to the political process (eg Bahrain) • After decades of authoritarianism there is a lack of democratic institutions – not only popularly elected parliaments but a free press, an independent civil society, freedom of speech • HOWEVER, these are authentically Arab uprisings that will find resolution within the countries concerned BUT in what ways we don’t know.

20. Hybrid regimes • Has been argued that after the Third Wave of democratisation, many regimes are hybrids • Not consolidated democracies • Elements of authoritarianism • Consolidation has occurred • Behaviourally when no significant groups are trying to overthrow democracy or secede • Attitudinally when the majority of citizens regard democratic forms as the best way to govern collective life • Constitutionally when the formal laws and rules are seen as the legitimate ways to resolve conflicts

21. Hybrid democracies • Diamond’s (2002) scheme of hybrid democracies • Liberal democracy • Electoral democracy • Ambiguous • Competitive authoritarian • Hegemonic closed authoritarian • Politically closed authoritarian

22. Regime Types in Southeast Asia 2001 and 2007 Numerical values = 2007 Freedom House scores for ‘political rights’ and ‘civil liberties’ On a scale of 1-7 where 1 is most free and 7 is least free

23. Deepening democracy • Democratic consolidation is rare in poor countries and UN and other organisations work to reduce ‘democratic deficits’ and ‘deepen democracy’ as measured by eg • Voter turn-out • Women in parliament • TU membership • NGOs • Open media • Transparency • Legal impartiality • Checks on chief executive