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From authoritarian regimes to supranational institutions - Coggle Diagram
From authoritarian regimes to supranational institutions
Although
authoritarian regimes can’t be directly compared
, we can
however state that
these
regimes
shared several negative features, namely the
rejection of the classical liberal model
REJECTIONS AND IMPLEMENTATIONS
Division of powers
→ considered as a source of weakness of the state
Very negative about
parliament
as it was
considered as a diabolic tool to limit the strength of the government’s actions → better off without parliament, as without, leaders could do more
Nazism, communism and fascism enhanced the power of the executive over the legislative one
Search
for
balance
as a
useless dispute
Outcome:
government and parliament
→ ended up being
instruments
of the
one ruling party and its leadership
→ consequence: leader
determined composition
of gov and parliament.
Consequence:
inside parliament -> only people accepted by the leader, no opponents
.
Role
of parliament changed deeply:
only expected to approve what the leader decided
as decrees emanated. Parliament was only summoned on special occasions (not regularity) with no real discussion within it.
Rejection of
ideological pluralism
State had to become instrument of one doctrine -> no individual could challenge the state
-> outcome:
restriction of freedom of expression and though
Double consequence: on people and parliament + point 4.
Rejection of
loyal opposition
Loyal opposition
= opposition to the source of power
In authoritarian regimes,
every opposition
is
considered as illegal as disagreeing with the government is considered as treason
Rejection of
Rechtsstaat
Legal principle
according to which the
nation is governed by the law, and not by the arbitrary decisions of the rules
-> implemented in democracies and rejected in auth states
Rejection of
clear succession procedure
due to absence of competitive elections
Result: authoritarian leaders continue to impose their rule until their death. Changing the leader is extremely difficult.
Only the Russians succeeded in changing the leaders, but not before Stalin’s death. This is a crucial discriminating factor.
THE CONCEPT OF DICTATORSHIP
Dictatorship - from
dictator
agent noun from the verb
dictare
- to order or to say in a doctoral way
In the
Roman time, dictators were magistrate with temporary absolute (not more than 6 months) power to take swift actions in specific situations (war).
He was
vested (with full executive power) and appointed by the Senate and Council, however, differently from any other Roman magistrate, the dictator was alone and wasn’t elected.
Example: Lucius, Quinctius, and Cincinatus
Rise
of
Julius Cesar marked a turning point of dictator office → dictator appointed for life (after his death none used his office again)
Only in the
17th century, the term acquired broader meaning which we use nowadays - a person who has absolute power or authority
Spectrum of
interpretations
regarding the
words dictatorship
- first way to define dictatorships
EXCLUSIVE APPROACH -
Linz
-
interim crisis government that has not institutionalised itself and represents a break with institutionalised rules about accession to and exercise of power of the preceding regime
, be it
democratic traditional or authoritarian
- we use the original meaning of the word - dictatorship is a temporary period between two regimes (ca be in crisis)
INCLUSIVE APPROACH - the essential ingredients of modern dictatorship is power; an emergency is not necessarily present - includes all of the modern variants of the word
Type of dictatorships
- second way to define dictatorships
COMMUNISM
Aims: a
new system of government based
on the
dictatorship of the proletariat
and
Marxist dictatorship all over the world
Contrary to Fascism, Communism has
strong formulated set of principles
According to Marx and Engles,
all societies are comprised by a superstructure (social and political institutions) and a base (economic structure)
To
change the superstructure, the exploited class, the proletariat, need to change the economic structure, the base
The struggle between the two classes follows a dialect and a revolutionary path, which is are necessary steps
Force is the midwife of every old society pregnant with a new one
- Marx
The end of the violent revolution, is the transformation from the dictatorship of the proletariat to the one of the classless society - point at which the state can withdraw
Engles - the interference of the same powers in social relations become superfluous in one sphere after another and then dies away of itself
Difference between Marx&Engles communism and Lenin's
Start of the revolution
M&E- revolution should start in Germany
L -
Revolution had more changes of success in Russia, where capitalism was weaker compared to Germany, where it highly developed
Protagonists of the revolution
M&E - Proletariat as protagonists
L -
Lenin organised the central committee of professional revolutionaries as he believed the the proletariat couldn’t be the protagonists of the revolution
(directly seize power). Lenin also used considerable coercion to accomplish his own personal version of the proletariat’s dictatorship.
The role of force
M&E -
violence and force were present during the phase of the revolution but should be stopped afterwards
L -
continued
to use these methods
during the dictatorship
STALINISM
Richard Pipes: Lenin’s strategy owed precious little to Marxism and everything to an insatiable lust for power
Stalin's further changes to Marxist ideology
To
justify a strong domestic focus he created the theory of socialism in one country
Stalin also
intensified measures against any form of political opposition (gulags)
, introduced a centralised bureaucracy, and reshaped the economy through collectivisation and industrial planning (5 years plan).
György Lukács
:
Stalinism is not only an erroneous interpretation and a defective application of Marxism; it is, in fact, its negation
Khrushchev saw Stalinism as a distortion of Marxism and Leninism
Official Soviet view: Lenin adopted Marxism to new historical conditions. Many
Western historians believe that Lenin committed a major distortion of Marxism and Engles’ conception
FASCISM
Contains all right wing dictatorships in a very broad sense -> fascism definition is complicated due to vagueness
Right-wingers regretted their countries' weaknesses, blamed existing regimes, and
wanted to build a stronger state and bring about a national rebirth. This narrow, strictly national starting point explains why these regimes were anti-Marxist
, as they abhorred the cosmopolitanism of the comrade without a fatherland.
We can use the word fascism even when referring to a democratic regime -
George Orwell’s
definition: the word “Fascism' is almost entirely meaningless almost any English person would accept 'bully' as a synonym for Fascist"
Characteristics
Belief in radical change - to end existing conditions of subjection or decadence. Revolution aims to achieve social transformation, re-birth
-> Mussolini
Deep hatred of parliamentarism
Always
defined by an absolute leader come with a cult of personality
which distinguishes and defines them -> Stalin
Single party rule
- state organisation in fascism combined the single party rule merged with the leadership principle
Alternative economic strategy
- aim to create an alternative economic strategy/system,
different from socialism and capitalism -> Mussolini corporatism
Glorification of conflict
- consequently of war, only tool to achieve hyper nationalistic ideals -> futurism
Nationalistic inspiration
- Fascist regimes consider
all other existing regimes as weak, due to their government, and consider themselves as the only ones as designed to a future of glory
and domination among the others
DIFFERENCE BETWEEN AUTHORITARIANISM AND TOTALITARIANISM
Authoritarianism:
system of government based on heavily centralised control and without parliamentary democracy which is properly functioning -> broad meaning -> even democratic regime can be called authoritarian
- example: post stalinist regime
Totalitarianism: requires strong ideological basis + aim of destroying opponents
Characteristics
Radical program of change and mobilisation of masses
A - radical program of change and mobilisation of masses
T -
deliberately mobilises masses to chiave their aim of radical program
Ideology
A - present but not premeating - role of church is accepted and welcomed
T -
permeates every aspect of life, considered as sort of religion
Political system
A - uner the control of a single party + party leader with cult of personality
T -
under control of single part + party leader with cult of personality & responsible for organising military activities
Individual subjected to the dictates of the state
A -
individuals subjected to the dictates of the state but not living in constant violence of physical and psychological terror
T -
impose complete control over the economy by establishing state goals and providing bureaucratic coordination of formally independent institutions
Fascist Italy as a controversy
De Felice
first scholar who made this controversial distinction between authoritarianism and totalitarianism -
Fascist Party itself had become almost completely bureaucratised and subservient to, not dominant over, the state itself.
Big business, industry, and finance retained extensive autonomy, particularly in the early years
The armed forces also enjoyed considerable autonomy.
The Fascist militia was placed under military control
The
judicial system was left largely intact
and relatively
autonomous
as well
The police continued to be directed by state officials and were not taken over by party leaders, nor was a major new police elite created
There was never any question of bringing the Church under overall subservience