Suchergebnisse

Discussed is the failure of classical Marxist social theory to explain bureaucratic centralist societies. The following components of classical theory are analyzed in this regard: (1) the concept of critique, (2) the theory of history, (3) the theory of the state, (4) the theory of capitalism, & (5) class theory & the theory of revolution. A formal & comparative sketch is provided of the main features of bureaucratic centralism, focusing on the following: (A) the organizing principle, (B) the question of control, (C) the legitimation problem, (D) the primacy crisis tendency, & (E) the spcificity of rational crises. The limits & merits of a political crisis model of bureaucratic centralism are discussed. A. Rubins.

In 2010, the Eurozone became the epicentre of the world crisis. The vulnerability of Europe appears to be linked to the specific institutional arrangement which organises monetary, financial and budgetary policies within the Eurozone. This article tries to understand the evolution of theeuduring a short but decisive historical sequence (2007–12) in a theoretical framework that puts elements of Gramsci's reflections on the theme of crisis, and especially his notion of 'Caesarism', at its centre. It addresses the current debate concerning the relationships between democratic politics and neoliberalism, while focusing on how the radicalisation of the crisis put at stake the co-construction of capitalism and representative democracy in the Western world sincewwii.

This brief examines the issue of transparency during and after the period of political dominance by the Liberal Democratic Party of Japan (LDP) which ruled with only a brief nine-month interruption from 1955–2009. It highlights two related but analytically separate dimensions of governmental transparency—transparency in decision-making processes and transparency in official policies. The first concentrates on the public visibility of how agencies decide on matters under their jurisdiction; the second focuses on how visible actual government policies are to those most affected by them and to the general citizenry. I argue that Japanese agencies have been far more open on policy content than on the processes by which those decisions were reached. In addition, this brief examines recent changes designed to foster greater transparency in both process and policy, including a Freedom of Information Act, e-government provisions, enhanced roles for parliamentary inquiry, a greater role for nongovernmental organizations, and other measures. It also highlights the broad shifts in government attitudes toward transparency under the Democratic Party of Japan (DPJ), which has governed since 2009.

A review essay on a book edited by Ernest E. Haberkern & Arthur Lipow, Neither Capitalism nor Socialism (Humanities Press, Atlantic Highlands, 1996). Utilizing a revolutionary socialist approach, this collection of essays examines the development of bureaucratic collectivism in Stalinist Russia. It is contended that bureaucratic collectivism necessitated the complete participation of the working class in constructing a new social order; moreover, the theory emphasized the importance of maintaining the inextricable relationship between socialism & democracy. The emergence & downfall of Stalinist bureaucratic collectivism is discussed; Haberkern & Lipow's contention that corporate capitalism was superseded by bureaucratic collectivism is questioned. It is concluded that bureaucratic collectivism, regardless of form, remains linked to the decline of capitalism; in addition, bureaucratic collectivism demonstrates that some form of collectivization is prerequisite for social advancement. J. W. Parker