Panel 1: Why Is Democracy So Hard To Consolidate? Wednesday, April 19 th (9:00-10:00am) 13 th Symposium on Development and Social Transformation

Democracy And Conflict In Macedonia Dragomira Zhecheva Panel 1: Why Is Democracy So Hard To Consolidate? 13th Symposium on Development and Social Transformation

Reforms in Macedonia Democracy or Another Ethnic Conflict on the Balkans?

Conflict Background Parties Macedonian government/police Albanian communities Albanian political parties The Ohrid Peace Agreement Representation in the Administration for the Albanian minority Political Voice Education Culture – Language Decentralization EU

Reforms for Resolution Decentralization Municipal Reform incorporate Albanian and Macedonian communities in joint decision making State and Local Government bring inter group national issues to local level solutions Schools and new educational plan Budgets

Reforms occur within the Context of… Nationalism History Mindsets Transition Conflict

How did the Reforms not solve the tensions… Municipal Reform Civil Society Perceptions Political Representation Institutions Building (Schools) Training of Cadres Self-Rule at the Local Level

Problems… No Representation and Institutions - No Channels of communication No neutral reliable process Persisting perceptions Continuous exclusion/inclusion Groups’ Own Solutions

Consolidation Of Romanian Democracy Gabriella Pakucs Panel 1: Why Is Democracy So Hard To Consolidate? 13th Symposium on Development and Social Transformation

Is the Romanian Democracy a Consolidated Democracy? Gabriella Pakucs April 2006

Two Main Theoretical Approaches It is the only game in town form In terms of form – fair elections, alternation in power (Huntington) substance Focus on substance – the arenas of democracy: the political society the civil society the rule of law the state bureaucracy the economic society (Linz and Stepan)

I will concentrate on the political arena for two reasons: The central importance of this arena in influencing or controlling the functioning of all others The evolution followed the cycles of political four-year mandates The political arena

1989, December– the violent end of the communist era, followed by the interim leadership – the constituent assembly, the ex-communists’ first period - “the socialism with a human face” – the second mandate for the ex-communists

first alternation in power – the first alternation in power due to strong involvement of the NGO sphere – the weak state – the ex-communists’ third accession to power – the too strong state the second alternation in power present – the second alternation in power (the “orange revolution”)

Conclusion all the arenassimultaneously Consolidation must encompass all the arenas simultaneously– the criterion of form is not enough to define democracy externally steered The way to consolidation was externally steered – IMF/WB and the European Union

The 1997 Constitution And Thai Democracy Joanna Song Panel 1: Why Is Democracy So Hard To Consolidate? 13th Symposium on Development and Social Transformation

The 1997 Constitution & Making Thai Democracy Joanna Song April 18, 2006

Outline  Introduction  The 1997 Constitution  Thai Democracy Styles  Road to Making Democracy

Introduction  Democracy & Consolidated Democracy?  The mere survival of democracy does not signal that it is consolidated. A minimal focus of such political institutions as parliament, bureaucracy, and court of democracy Democratic Maturation ?

Young Age of Democracy: Thailand  Democracy struggling with many street demonstrations, impeachment, autocratic leaders, and political crisis.  Democracy emerged during the Third Wave identified by Huntington as young, fragile, and low quality.  Democracy lack of capacity to maintain persistence.

The 1997 Constitution Sixteenth Constitution but the first participatory drafted constitution Sixteenth Constitution but the first participatory drafted constitution Human Rights Electoral System Independent judicial & Quasi-judicial institutions Independent judicial & Quasi-judicial institutions The 1997 Constitution

The 1997 Constitution  Lack of attitudinal commitment of the political leaders  Independence of Watch-dog agencies  Vote-buying and corrupt politics

Thai Democracy Style 1) Legacies of Military Domination  End of the absolute monarchy in by military officials  Adopt constitutional democracy  Monopolized the power of the state and utilized it for their individual or collective causes  Frequent changes of military dominated political system from 1932 to 1973  “Vicious Cycle” ; Political Crisis Military Coup New Constitution

Thai Democracy Style 2) Liberalized Institution but ineffective  Minimally active parliament  Strong executive branch and bureaucrats  Controlled participation of masses  Appointment system  Power centralization in Bangkok

Thai Democracy Style 3) Immobilized and Fragmented Civil Society  Master-Servant Principle  Authoritarian political legacy  Low degree of active citizenship and civic competence  Absent of politically mobilized masses

Road to Making Democracy  Role of New Constitution and Watch-dog agencies - Attitudinal commitment of political leader & independent judiciary and quasi-judicial institutions  Future development of strong parliament and political parties -Fundamental reform of political system, active legislature, representative politicians

Panel 1: Why Is Democracy So Hard To Consolidate? Wednesday, April 19th (9:00-10:00am) Dragomira Zhecheva Democracy And Conflict In Macedonia Gabriella Pakucs Consolidation Of Romanian Democracy Joanna Song The 1997 Constitution And Thai Democracy 13th Symposium on Development and Social Transformation