PowerPointPrsentation

1
Belarus 2011   Visions for the civil society of
the Republic of Belarus II Civil Society
Organizing and Partner Institutions IMOE
(Robert Bosch Stiftung) Kultur Aktiv e.V. 3rd
Way Klubs LC Speaker Jakob Lempp (Dresden
University of Technology Germany)
2
Main Problems of Belarus in the Field of Civil
Society
Second Main Problem Type of political culture
and civil society subject and parochial
culture and lack of participant culture (as a
consequence of authoritarian rule?) Areas of
potential problems within Civil Society in
Belarus Political Culture of Elites
Political Culture in Belarussian Society
Political Transformation Economic
Transformation
3
Corruption in Belarus

• Transparency International
• Corruption Perception Index Ranking 2006
• Finland
• ...
• 16. Germany
• ...
• 49. Latvia
• ...
• 61. Poland
• ...
• 99. Ukraine
• ...
• 121. Russia
• ...
• 151. Belarus
• ...
• 163. (last rank) Haiti

? Politicians in Belarus are more corrupt than in
almost all other states of the world!
4
The Will to Democratize in Belarus
Bertelsmann Stiftung Transformation Index
(Management) Ranking 2006 16. Latvia ... 23.
Poland ... 65. Ukraine ... 87. Russia ... 107.
Belarus ... 118. (last rank) Somalia

• BTI (M) measures political will for
  democratization
• Politicians do not want to democratize Belarus!

5
State of Democratization and economic
Transformation
Bertelsmann Stiftung Transformation Index
(Status) Ranking 2006 9. Poland ... 14.
Latvia ... 32. Ukraine ... 47. Russia ... 83.
Belarus ... 118. (last rank) Somalia

• BTI (S) measures state of political and economic
  transformation
• concerning political and economic
  transformation, Belarus is the last country in
  Europe!

6
What needs to be done?

• Strengthening of Civil Society through
• Strengthening of non-governmental organizations
  (NGO)
• Strengthening of political parties
• Strengthening of the Parliament as a place of
  political debate and decisions
• Strengthening transparency of political system
• Strengthening of a Participatory Political
  Culture
• From subject culture and parochialism to
  participation
• Building of institutions of democratic political
  socialization
• Transparent and efficient system of recruitment
  of political staff

7
Civil Society

• Important actors of civil society
  Non-Governmental Organizations (NGO)
• Networks of citizens who define, articulate and
  fight for their interests
• Methods and Instruments of NGO
• Public Relations
• Demonstrations, strikes, campaigns
• Networking, alliances with other NGO, GO or IGO
• Research and presentation of programmes

8
Functions of NGO
NGO... ...find the preferences of their
members ...select certain interest for the
political conflict ...pool interests and form
plausible and consistent programmes ...articulate
the interests of their members publicly ...try to
enforce the interests of their members
9
Pluralism

• Individuals and groups do have very different
  self-defined interests (legitimate variety)
• It is more rational for the state to accept this
  variety of interests than to try to monopolize
  them
• Consequently, the state should regulate not too
  much (? controversial sector should be large
  non-controversial sector should be restricted to
  human rights and basic principles of democracy)
• The whole political system should be based on the
  acceptance of legitimate variety of interests in
  society
• The majority decides, which interests will be
  transformed into law and which will not

10
Necessity of NGO for a pluralistic state

• NGO
• introduce know-how into the political process
• force the political system to be transparent and
  responsive
• contribute to legitimacy of the political system
• ? Democracy needs Pluralism and Pluralism needs
  NGO, consequently Democracy needs a functioning
  system of free NGO

11
Political Parties (Definition)
Political Parties are permanent and publicly
acting organizations, who present candidats in
elections. In political parties people with
similar interests and preferences unite for the
achievement of political goals. They are ready to
seek political power and therefore try to occupy
powerful positions within the political
system. Two things must be distinguished Opposi
tion within a democratic political system.
Political system as such is not opposed, however,
the current government is opposed. Extremism /
Resistance the whole political system is refused
(extremism within a democratic political system
residtance within authoritarianism)
12
Legitimate Political Aims of Parties
Liberal Parties against any type of ancien
régime against state influence. Conservative
Parties against very fast changes against very
much state influence. Socialist /
Socialdemocratic Parties against exclusion of
lower classes. Ecological Parties for ecological
(and other) sustainability. Not legitimate
Extremist Parties against liberal democratic
constitutional state.
13
Functions of Political Parties

• Networking
• Responsivity
• Political leadership
• Recruitment of political staff
• Socialization of political staff
• Presentation of candidates in elections

14
Civic Culture
Civic Culture (Political Culture) means The
existing ideas about Politics within a society,
(including knowledge, know-how and hypotheses
about polities, politics and policies). The
existing attitudes to Politics within a society,
(including ideologies, aims and tabus). The
practised political patterns of behaviour,
(including political participation or passivity).
15
Forms of political participation
Policy-related self-information
(passive) Policy-related communication
(active) Commitment and involvement within the
political sphere (membership in political
parties, NGO, other policy-related
organizations) From case to case active
participation in political action (e.g.
demonstrations etc.)
16
Socio-Culture and Political Culture of
Political Elites

• Political Socio-culture
• Policy-related ideas, attitudes and patterns of
  behaviour of the common man
• Political culture of political elites
• Policy-related ideas, attitudes and patterns of
  behaviour of the political elite, e.g. popular
  journalists, writers, scientists, politicians,
  economists.
• Importance of the political culture of political
  elites Political Elites participate strongly in
  the construction of political reality.

17
Three types of Civic Culture
Parochial political culture The interests of
people ends at the own front door. People are not
interested in politics and the future of their
society (Aristotle idiótes vs.
polítes). Subject political culture People
think that they have no chance to influence their
political environment. People think, the
authorities are responsible for their own
happiness. Participatory political
culture People think that politics is something
that concernes everybody. Everybody should show
interest in his own society and actively
participate in the political process. (Latin
res publica the public thing). Political
participation should be based on the free and
equal right of everybody to participate.
18
Political Socialization
those processes, in which political culture in
a society is shaped. ? It depends on the
political socialization patterns, whether a
participatory or a subject culture emerges. ?
Actors in political socialization bear important
responsibilities.
19
Elite and Political Elite

• What is the elite of a certain country?
• Those people in a society who
• Hold important positions (positional elite)
• Have done something extraordinary (elite of
  merit)
• Exert strong influence (power elite)
• Are strongly respected (prestige elite)
• What is the political elite of a certain
  country?
• Those people in a society who belong to one of
  the above mentioned categories and are active
  within the sphere of politics.

20
Recruitment of Political Elites

• Every political system depends on the quality of
  its political elites.
• Therefore, it is an important function of the
  political system to recruit and to socialize
  political elites.
• Depending of the type of the political system,
  recruitment patterns vary
• Totalitarianism detailled system of
  recruitment, staff development and training for
  cadres.
• Authoritarianism heredity of positions,
  nepotism, corruption etc.
• Democracy self-recruitment, free competition,
  role of political parties.

21
Possible Paths to a Future Participatory Civil
Society in Belarus
From Parochialism and subject culture to
participatory political culture (both
socio-culture and political culture of the
elites). Acceptance of the legitimacy of
pluralism and political conflict. From
corruption to transparency. Strengthening of
non-governmental organizations (NGO) and other
actors of the civil society. Strengthening of
political parties chance for political parties
to fulfill their functions effectively. Forming
of a functioning party-system (more than one, but
less than ten). Transparent and efficient system
of self-recruitment of political staff Fight
against extremism, however, acceptance of
opposition. From authoritarian political elites
to political elites that push further
transformation towards democracy.
22
Thank you very much!