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Democracy, dictatorship, and transformation: A proposal for a constitution-guided systematic change in formerly Soviet republics

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  • Thomas Apolte

Abstract

A system transformation contains complicated social dilemmas and special-interest problems. Thus it is frequently suggested that democratic decisionmaking is inappropriate for introducing a market economy in the former socialist countries. In this paper I argue that this view rests on a nirvana approach, because it neglects the dynamics of authoritarian governments. It is shown that dictatorships tend to serve even narrower special interests than democracies and are therefore usually less likely to pursue a consistent transformation policy. However, a dictatorship could, under certain cultural and social conditions, have some advantages over democracies. But those conditions are barely present in the formerly socialist countries. Moreover, a dictatorship can by its very nature not be committed and cannot even commit itself to a certain public policy. Hence, there is only one instrument to mitigate social dilemmas in transformation countries: a set of constitutional rules. Some basic properties of a constitutional approach of system transformation are introduced in the last section of the paper. Copyright Kluwer Academic Publishers 1995

Suggested Citation

  • Thomas Apolte, 1995. "Democracy, dictatorship, and transformation: A proposal for a constitution-guided systematic change in formerly Soviet republics," Constitutional Political Economy, Springer, vol. 6(1), pages 5-20, December.
    • Handle: RePEc:kap:copoec:v:6:y:1995:i:1:p:5-20
    DOI: 10.1007/BF01298373
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Adam Przeworski & Fernando Limongi, 1993. "Political Regimes and Economic Growth," Journal of Economic Perspectives, American Economic Association, vol. 7(3), pages 51-69, Summer.
    2. Brennan,Geoffrey & Buchanan,James M., 2006. "The Power to Tax," Cambridge Books, Cambridge University Press, number 9780521027922, January.
    3. Cass Sunstein, 1991. "Constitutionalism, prosperity, democracy: Transition in Eastern Europe," Constitutional Political Economy, Springer, vol. 2(3), pages 371-394, September.
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    Cited by:

    1. Apolte, Thomas & Peters, Heiko, 2009. "Governance, Demokratie und wirtschaftliche Entwicklung in den ehemals sozialistischen Staaten," IÖB-Diskussionspapiere 1/09, University of Münster, Institute for Economic Education.

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    More about this item

    Keywords

    D72; D74; P51;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • D72 - Microeconomics - - Analysis of Collective Decision-Making - - - Political Processes: Rent-seeking, Lobbying, Elections, Legislatures, and Voting Behavior
    • D74 - Microeconomics - - Analysis of Collective Decision-Making - - - Conflict; Conflict Resolution; Alliances; Revolutions
    • P51 - Political Economy and Comparative Economic Systems - - Comparative Economic Systems - - - Comparative Analysis of Economic Systems

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