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Wednesday, December 2, 2009
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Friday, November 13, 2009
Sunday, December 2, 2007
What Is Democracy?
Introduction, Defining Democracy, Rights, The Rule of Law, Elections, The Culture of Democracy, Democratic Government, Politics, Economics, Pluralism
http://usinfo.state.gov/products/pubs/whatsdem/
THE PILLARS OF DEMOCRACY
Sovereignty of the people.
Government based upon consent of the governed.
Majority rule.
Minority rights.
Guarantee of basic human rights.
Free and fair elections.
Equality before the law.
Due process of law.
Constitutional limits on government.
Social, economic, and political pluralism.
Values of tolerance, pragmatism, cooperation, and compromise.
http://usinfo.state.gov/products/pubs/whatsdem/whatdm2.htm
Introduction, Defining Democracy, Rights, The Rule of Law, Elections, The Culture of Democracy, Democratic Government, Politics, Economics, Pluralism
http://usinfo.state.gov/products/pubs/whatsdem/
THE PILLARS OF DEMOCRACY
Sovereignty of the people.
Government based upon consent of the governed.
Majority rule.
Minority rights.
Guarantee of basic human rights.
Free and fair elections.
Equality before the law.
Due process of law.
Constitutional limits on government.
Social, economic, and political pluralism.
Values of tolerance, pragmatism, cooperation, and compromise.
http://usinfo.state.gov/products/pubs/whatsdem/whatdm2.htm
Saturday, December 1, 2007
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The Project will analyze lessons learned from the post-1989 transitions in formerly communist Europe/Eurasia and will translate these lessons into guidelines for more effective action on future reform in the postcommunist region, and possibly beyond. A central feature of the Project is its Transatlantic Steering Group (TSG), composed of senior European and American practitioners, scholars and policy analysts experienced in post-authoritarian reform. The TSG bridges professional and national divides and creates a forum for integrating the information now available on postcommunist transitions and for translating it into practical guidelines and actions. In a second phase of the Project, the TSG would ideally become an ongoing mechanism for updating and promoting the Project’s initial conclusions, and for nurturing the region’s next generation of democratic transition leaders and linking them to Western policy-makers and analysts on both sides of the Atlantic. Additionally, the Project would explore the applicability of the European/Eurasian postcommunist experience to selected countries in other regions of the world.
http://www.democratictransitions.org/
Executive Summary
Project on Democratic Transitions: Phase II
Scope
Since its launch in 2005, the Project on Democratic Transitions (PDT) has developed valuable insights into the post-1989 forces that have transformed formerly communist Europe/Eurasia. At its February 2007 meeting, the PDT’s Transatlantic Steering Group focused especially on recent democratic regression in the region and its interplay with a weakened Western role and a more assertive Russia. A new strategic paradigm is clearly warranted, and the time has come to engage with policy-makers and practitioners on new approaches to the region.
Why?
The remarkable democratic breakthroughs of the 15 years following the revolutions of 1989 led many to espouse a highly positive, standardized post-communist transition paradigm. As late as December 2004, with Ukraine’s Orange Revolution at its height, democracy seemed to be progressing rapidly in Central Europe and the Baltic Republics and spreading throughout the Balkans and even into several former Soviet republics. Since 2005, however, reform has stalled in many ex-communist states and regressed in others. Furthermore, the task of supporting democracy has become more complex as differences between countries have been sharpened by wars, revolutions, ethnic strife and myriad regime changes. Nevertheless, the West’s support for reform has flagged just as this historic post-1989 transformation endeavor has entered a new and markedly more difficult period. The Project’s premise is that we are now in a new “post post-communist” phase requiring a new paradigm and a new strategy.
Who?
A central feature of the Project is its Transatlantic Steering Group (TSG), composed of over two dozen senior European and American practitioners, scholars and policy thinkers with experience in post-authoritarian reform. The TSG bridges national and professional divides and creates a forum for integrating insights into the formerly communist region and translating these into practical guidelines and policy actions. The TSG is chaired by Ambassador Adrian A. Basora, assisted by two experienced Research Fellows, plus younger research and operational staff based at the Foreign Policy Research Institute in Philadelphia.
What?
The Project on Democratic Transitions proposes over the coming year to more fully develop the new paradigm that is now called for -- and to spell out and promote its main policy and operational implications. The resultant analysis and recommendations will be actively promoted through policy briefings in Washington and in key European capitals and will be disseminated via traditional media, scholarly publications and the internet. In addition, Steering Group members will engage with their personal networks among policy-makers in the U.S. and Western Europe and among thought leaders and reformers in ex-communist Europe/Eurasia. The Project will develop a user-friendly guidebook on the region’s transformations designed to both influence and assist the above-mentioned target groups. The goal is to develop these materials in time for their use during the American presidential primary season in early 2008.
(DRAFT, 4/16/07)
Source: http://www.democratictransitions.org/
Reclaiming Democracy
Civil Society and Electoral Change in Central and Eastern Europe, edited by Joerg Forbrig and Pavol Demes (German Marshall Fund of the United States, January, 2007) provides a compelling analysis of civil society’s role in fostering democratic change in Slovakia, Croatia, Serbia, Georgia and Ukraine over the past several years.
Reclaiming Democracy provides a panorama of the civil society efforts, pre-electioncampaigns and civic movements that contributed significantly to democratic breakthroughs in each of these five countries. It brings together case studies contributed by key activists who are in a position to share unique insider knowledge. The second part provides a set of comparative perspectives, systematically tracing differences andsimilarities. The book is an invaluable asset for anyone studying or wishing to emulate this region’s post-communist transitions.
The book’s co-editor Pavol Demes and four prime contributors – Valerie Bunce,Martin Butora, Ivan Krastev and Sharon Wolchik – are members of the Project on Democratic Transitions (PDT) Transantlantic Steering Group. Although the book is not a direct product of the Project, its findings are highly relevant to its analysis and policy-related goals.
Source: http://www.democratictransitions.org/
The Project will analyze lessons learned from the post-1989 transitions in formerly communist Europe/Eurasia and will translate these lessons into guidelines for more effective action on future reform in the postcommunist region, and possibly beyond. A central feature of the Project is its Transatlantic Steering Group (TSG), composed of senior European and American practitioners, scholars and policy analysts experienced in post-authoritarian reform. The TSG bridges professional and national divides and creates a forum for integrating the information now available on postcommunist transitions and for translating it into practical guidelines and actions. In a second phase of the Project, the TSG would ideally become an ongoing mechanism for updating and promoting the Project’s initial conclusions, and for nurturing the region’s next generation of democratic transition leaders and linking them to Western policy-makers and analysts on both sides of the Atlantic. Additionally, the Project would explore the applicability of the European/Eurasian postcommunist experience to selected countries in other regions of the world.
http://www.democratictransitions.org/
Executive Summary
Project on Democratic Transitions: Phase II
Scope
Since its launch in 2005, the Project on Democratic Transitions (PDT) has developed valuable insights into the post-1989 forces that have transformed formerly communist Europe/Eurasia. At its February 2007 meeting, the PDT’s Transatlantic Steering Group focused especially on recent democratic regression in the region and its interplay with a weakened Western role and a more assertive Russia. A new strategic paradigm is clearly warranted, and the time has come to engage with policy-makers and practitioners on new approaches to the region.
Why?
The remarkable democratic breakthroughs of the 15 years following the revolutions of 1989 led many to espouse a highly positive, standardized post-communist transition paradigm. As late as December 2004, with Ukraine’s Orange Revolution at its height, democracy seemed to be progressing rapidly in Central Europe and the Baltic Republics and spreading throughout the Balkans and even into several former Soviet republics. Since 2005, however, reform has stalled in many ex-communist states and regressed in others. Furthermore, the task of supporting democracy has become more complex as differences between countries have been sharpened by wars, revolutions, ethnic strife and myriad regime changes. Nevertheless, the West’s support for reform has flagged just as this historic post-1989 transformation endeavor has entered a new and markedly more difficult period. The Project’s premise is that we are now in a new “post post-communist” phase requiring a new paradigm and a new strategy.
Who?
A central feature of the Project is its Transatlantic Steering Group (TSG), composed of over two dozen senior European and American practitioners, scholars and policy thinkers with experience in post-authoritarian reform. The TSG bridges national and professional divides and creates a forum for integrating insights into the formerly communist region and translating these into practical guidelines and policy actions. The TSG is chaired by Ambassador Adrian A. Basora, assisted by two experienced Research Fellows, plus younger research and operational staff based at the Foreign Policy Research Institute in Philadelphia.
What?
The Project on Democratic Transitions proposes over the coming year to more fully develop the new paradigm that is now called for -- and to spell out and promote its main policy and operational implications. The resultant analysis and recommendations will be actively promoted through policy briefings in Washington and in key European capitals and will be disseminated via traditional media, scholarly publications and the internet. In addition, Steering Group members will engage with their personal networks among policy-makers in the U.S. and Western Europe and among thought leaders and reformers in ex-communist Europe/Eurasia. The Project will develop a user-friendly guidebook on the region’s transformations designed to both influence and assist the above-mentioned target groups. The goal is to develop these materials in time for their use during the American presidential primary season in early 2008.
(DRAFT, 4/16/07)
Source: http://www.democratictransitions.org/
Reclaiming Democracy
Civil Society and Electoral Change in Central and Eastern Europe, edited by Joerg Forbrig and Pavol Demes (German Marshall Fund of the United States, January, 2007) provides a compelling analysis of civil society’s role in fostering democratic change in Slovakia, Croatia, Serbia, Georgia and Ukraine over the past several years.
Reclaiming Democracy provides a panorama of the civil society efforts, pre-electioncampaigns and civic movements that contributed significantly to democratic breakthroughs in each of these five countries. It brings together case studies contributed by key activists who are in a position to share unique insider knowledge. The second part provides a set of comparative perspectives, systematically tracing differences andsimilarities. The book is an invaluable asset for anyone studying or wishing to emulate this region’s post-communist transitions.
The book’s co-editor Pavol Demes and four prime contributors – Valerie Bunce,Martin Butora, Ivan Krastev and Sharon Wolchik – are members of the Project on Democratic Transitions (PDT) Transantlantic Steering Group. Although the book is not a direct product of the Project, its findings are highly relevant to its analysis and policy-related goals.
Source: http://www.democratictransitions.org/
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