Is Non-western Democracy Possible?: A Russian Perspective

by Alexei D Voskressenski

Overview

This book, with theoretical and practical analyses of comparative political systems of Eastern countries (Asia and Africa), their political process and political cultures, describes and analyses the influence of political culture on political process in the Eastern world. It gives readers an opportunity to make a comparative appraisal of maturity of civil society in these countries as well as their specifics in political interactions and internal political competition seen through the eyes of a group of distinguished Russian researchers. The book concentrates also on specifics of political-economic and political modernization in the East, and assesses the prospects of an emergence of a Western as well as a non-Western democracy in the framework of Eastern political transformations. It also explains why the one-dimensional spread of democracy — completely negating or neglecting regional political-cultural specifics — may lead to war among civilizations instead of the formation of a more just and fair system of democratic governance.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9789813147379
Publisher:	World Scientific Publishing Company, Incorporated
Publication date:	06/29/2017
Pages:	768
Product dimensions:	6.10(w) x 9.10(h) x 1.10(d)

About the Author

Alexei D. Voskressenski is dean of the School of Political Affairs and professor of comparative politics and Asian studies at the School of International Relations, MGIMO University (Moscow). He is founding editor-in-chief of the peer-reviewed journal Comparative Politics (comparativepolitics.org), published in Russia.

Table of Contents

About the Book vii

Editor and Authors of Forewords and Afterword xvii

Contributors xix

Foreword Kevin Rudd xxiii

Foreword Adam Przeworski xxv

Introduction Alexei D. Voskressenski 1

Part I Comparative Analyses of Political Systems and Political Cultures: Clarification of Concepts 13

Chapter 1 The Eastern and Western Political Worlds and Classifications of World Political Systems Alexei D. Voskressenski 15

A Systemic Approach to Society and Politics 17

Principles of Comparative Analysis of Political Systems 20

Analysis of the Political Sphere in the East and in the West: The General and the Specific 25

An Assessment of Spatial and Analytical Systems 34

Spatial Arrangements of Eastern Macro regions 37

Analytical Classification of Political Systems 47

Role of Social Order in the Variation in the Models of Democratic Governance 54

Correlation of the Levels of Economic Development with Political Culture and Democracy 63

Correlation of the Stages of Economic and Political Development: Synthesis of Values in Societies of the Pluralistic Type 67

The Problem of Guaranteeing Socio-Political Access and Maintenance of Political Order 78

Multidimensional Spatial-Analytical Conception 82

Chapter 2 Political Cultures and Socio-Cultural Particulars of Economic Regimes Marina Strezhneva Larisa Yefimova 87

Concept of Political Culture 87

Typology of Theoretical Approaches in the Explication of Political Culture 89

Political Culture and Socio-Cultural Particulars of Economic Regimes 97

Features of Political Culture of the Contemporary East 109

Part II Political Systems and Political Cultures of the States of Africa and the Greater Middle East 125

Chapter 3 Political Systems and Political Culture of the States of Africa Andrei Yemelyanov 127

Historical Evolution of African Political Regimes 128

Specifics of African Political Culture 141

Chapter 4 Features of the Political System and Political Culture of the State of Israel Alek D. Epstein 145

Formation of Israeli Sovereignty 145

Constitutional Legislation and the Legal System 153

Bodies of Representative Authority 162

Factors of Continuity and Instability of the Party Political System 168

Chapter 5 Comparative Analysis of the Development of Political Systems of Turkey, Egypt, Iran and Iraq Irina Kudryashova 175

The Collapse of the Ottoman Empire and the Construction of the Turkish Nation 176

Incorporation of Islam in the Process of State Building 180

Constitutional Foundations of the Political System of the Turkish Republic (TR) 183

Constitutional Foundations of the Political System of the Arab Republic of Egypt (ARE) 187

Egypt: Nationalism and Islam 193

Iran in the First Half of the 19th Century: Ulema and the Authorities 195

The Encroachment into Iran of Foreign Powers and the Failed Attempt at Reform 198

National Consciousness, the Revolution of 1905-1911 and the Adoption of a Constitution 200

Pahlavi Autocracy: Reforms of Reza-Shah (1925-1941) 204

Liberalization of the Regime and the Political Coup d'état of 1953 208

Restoration of the Autocracy and the "White Revolution" of Mohammad Reza Shah 210

The People's Revolution of 1978-1979 and the System of "Religious Democracy" 213

Constitutional Foundations of the Political System of the Islamic Republic of Iran (IRI) 218

Iran: "Neo-Shiism" and Modernity 222

Comparative Analysis of Political Processes in Turkey, Egypt, Iran and Iraq 224

Chapter 6 Political Systems of Arab States Marina Sapronova 237

Factors Influencing the Formation and Functioning of the Political Systems of Arab States 237

New Political Tendencies in State/Government Development at the End of the 20th - Beginning of 21st Century 245

Institutions of Power and Authority in Arab States 252

Chapter 7 State and Tribe in the Political System of Afghanistan Yuri Laletin 281

Political Organization of Pashtun Tribes and Their Influence on the Society and Government in Afghanistan 282

Structures of Tribal Union and Afghan State and Government (1747-1978) 302

Chapter 8 Political Processes and Political Systems of Central Asian States Sergei Lunev 323

The Emergence of Statehood in the Region's Republics 323

Political Systems of the Region's National States 329

Processes of Islamization and Problems of Radicalism 350

Part III Political Systems of the States of Greater Eastern Asia 359

Chapter 9 India: Political Process, Political Culture and Political System Sergei Lunev Leonid Alayev 361

Historical Features of Political Process in India 361

Features of Indian Political Culture 366

Political System of India 371

Chapter 10 Political Systems and Political Culture of the South Asian Muslim States Vyacheslav Belokrenitsky 391

Islam in the Political History and Culture of India 392

Features of the Political System 396

Characteristic Features of Political Culture 403

Chapter 11 Political Systems and Political Culture of the Southeast Asian States Ekaterina Koldunova Larisa Yefimova 417

Kingdom of Thailand 419

Socialist Republic of Vietnam 424

Lao People's Democratic Republic 427

Kingdom of Cambodia 429

Republic of the Union of Myanmar 432

Republic of the Philippines 437

Brunei Darussalam 440

Federation of Malaysia 441

Republic of Indonesia 450

Republic of Singapore 458

Chapter 12 Evolution of Political System of Mongolia Sergei Luzyanin 463

Traditional Institutions and Structures (12th-17th Centuries) 463

External Factors Influencing the Cultural-Political Processes and System of Mongolia (17th to the End of the 20th Century) 467

Modern Political System and Culture of Mongolia 473

Chapter 13 Political Systems of the States of the Korean Peninsula Valery Denisov 479

Republic of Korea 480

Democratic People's Republic of Korea 493

Chapter 14 Evolution of Political Systems and Political Institutions in China Alexei D. Voskressenski Leonid Gudoshnikov Victoria Sergeeva 515

Political Systems and Political Institutions of Mainland and Island China 515

Mechanisms of Continuity and Rotation of the Top Political Leadership of PRC 548

Relationship between Central and Local Levels of Administration in the PRC: Administrative Reform and Governance Improvement 554

Mechanism of Elections and Intraparty Democratization in the PRC 559

Civil Society with "Chinese Characteristics" 564

Chapter 15 Political System and Political Culture of Japan El'gena Molodyakova 569

Formation of Modern Japanese Political System 569

Evolution of Japanese Political System and Political Culture 575

Part IV General Rules and Regional Specifics 593

Chapter 16 General Rules and National Specifics in Non-Western Democracy Alexei D. Voskressenski 595

Preliminary Results of Eastern Political Systems Comparative Analyses 595

General Rules in Political Modernization and Models of Democracy: Is Non-Western Democracy Possible? 634

Conclusion Alexei D. Voskressenski 667

Afterword: To Each His Own? Democratic Aspirations and Institutional Evolution in the Non-Western World Subrata Kumar Mitra 673

Culture, Structure or Political Capital? Some General Lessons of India's Counterfactual Democracy 676

The Impact of Path Dependence on Transition to Democracy and Its Consolidation 677

Making Democracy Work: India's Political Capital 679

Conclusion: Democracy, in General, and in the Non-Western Context 684

Notes 687

Index 721