Alexandra Barahona de Brito
- Published in print:
- 1997
- Published Online:
- November 2003
- ISBN:
- 9780198280385
- eISBN:
- 9780191598852
- Item type:
- book
- Publisher:
- Oxford University Press
- DOI:
- 10.1093/0198280386.001.0001
- Subject:
- Political Science, Democratization
This book analyses the Uruguayan and Chilean experiences with the transitional politics of truth and justice regarding past human rights violations. These policies are shaped by the legacy of ...
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This book analyses the Uruguayan and Chilean experiences with the transitional politics of truth and justice regarding past human rights violations. These policies are shaped by the legacy of repressive rule, and the dynamics of the politics of transition and of the balance of power under the new democratic governments peculiar to each country. The issue is central to the politics of transition for ethical, symbolic, practical and political reasons: politically it is the most explosive transitional issue; on a practical level, only official acknowledgement can resolve pending legal questions for survivors and families of victims; ethically, it is hard to generate democratic consensus or social endorsement for social reform without involving principles and ideals that appeal to the underlying values and aspirations of the citizenry. Dealing with legacies of state repression permits the beginning of the process of ‘deconstruction of cultures of fear’ without which democratization cannot occur. This is not only desirable and necessary; some kind of truth telling policy has proved to be both required and feasible in a wide range of contemporary regime transitions. However, justice is not always possible: limitations on prosecutions are more self-imposed than 'structural', more political than institutional, and clearly there is a tension between the conditions necessary to ensure accountability and those that govern periods of transition. Unconsolidated democracies are not able to practise the politics of a consolidated democracy; the politics of consolidated democracies includes the capacity to call the powerful to account. This is perhaps the yardstick with which to measure consolidation. Instead of practising the politics of consolidated democracy, what these countries have to engage in is the politics of democratic consolidation. Although truth and justice policies may remain relevant after the transition and 'leak into' the politics of democratization, (where they can continue to be a source of conflict in the judicial system and of latent or overt painful and deep-seated social animosities), the resolution of the issue in the formal political arena can and does make it marginal in terms of day-to-day politics. Consolidation depends more crucially on the reform of key institutions that permitted abuse and impunity: the thorough reform of the judiciary and of the forces of repression. If a government does not undertake a proper reform of the institutions that made abuse and impunity possible, the democracy it presides over will be lame and incomplete.Less
This book analyses the Uruguayan and Chilean experiences with the transitional politics of truth and justice regarding past human rights violations. These policies are shaped by the legacy of repressive rule, and the dynamics of the politics of transition and of the balance of power under the new democratic governments peculiar to each country. The issue is central to the politics of transition for ethical, symbolic, practical and political reasons: politically it is the most explosive transitional issue; on a practical level, only official acknowledgement can resolve pending legal questions for survivors and families of victims; ethically, it is hard to generate democratic consensus or social endorsement for social reform without involving principles and ideals that appeal to the underlying values and aspirations of the citizenry. Dealing with legacies of state repression permits the beginning of the process of ‘deconstruction of cultures of fear’ without which democratization cannot occur. This is not only desirable and necessary; some kind of truth telling policy has proved to be both required and feasible in a wide range of contemporary regime transitions. However, justice is not always possible: limitations on prosecutions are more self-imposed than 'structural', more political than institutional, and clearly there is a tension between the conditions necessary to ensure accountability and those that govern periods of transition. Unconsolidated democracies are not able to practise the politics of a consolidated democracy; the politics of consolidated democracies includes the capacity to call the powerful to account. This is perhaps the yardstick with which to measure consolidation. Instead of practising the politics of consolidated democracy, what these countries have to engage in is the politics of democratic consolidation. Although truth and justice policies may remain relevant after the transition and 'leak into' the politics of democratization, (where they can continue to be a source of conflict in the judicial system and of latent or overt painful and deep-seated social animosities), the resolution of the issue in the formal political arena can and does make it marginal in terms of day-to-day politics. Consolidation depends more crucially on the reform of key institutions that permitted abuse and impunity: the thorough reform of the judiciary and of the forces of repression. If a government does not undertake a proper reform of the institutions that made abuse and impunity possible, the democracy it presides over will be lame and incomplete.
Jeffrey Green
- Published in print:
- 2009
- Published Online:
- February 2010
- ISBN:
- 9780195372649
- eISBN:
- 9780199871711
- Item type:
- chapter
- Publisher:
- Oxford University Press
- DOI:
- 10.1093/acprof:oso/9780195372649.003.0006
- Subject:
- Political Science, Political Theory
This chapter demonstrates how a plebiscitarian commitment to a politics of candor shapes a distinctive approach to reforming democratic institutions. Sections 6.2 through 6.5 explore the consequences ...
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This chapter demonstrates how a plebiscitarian commitment to a politics of candor shapes a distinctive approach to reforming democratic institutions. Sections 6.2 through 6.5 explore the consequences of making candor the primary value in democratic reform, by analyzing three practices of contemporary mass democracy: leadership debates, public inquiries of leaders, and press conferences. Section 6.6 concludes by summarizing the logic of putting candor first.Less
This chapter demonstrates how a plebiscitarian commitment to a politics of candor shapes a distinctive approach to reforming democratic institutions. Sections 6.2 through 6.5 explore the consequences of making candor the primary value in democratic reform, by analyzing three practices of contemporary mass democracy: leadership debates, public inquiries of leaders, and press conferences. Section 6.6 concludes by summarizing the logic of putting candor first.
Thomas Winzen
- Published in print:
- 2017
- Published Online:
- February 2017
- ISBN:
- 9780198793397
- eISBN:
- 9780191835223
- Item type:
- chapter
- Publisher:
- Oxford University Press
- DOI:
- 10.1093/acprof:oso/9780198793397.003.0004
- Subject:
- Political Science, Comparative Politics, European Union
This chapter analyses variation in the strength of national parliaments’ oversight institutions across countries, and in the likelihood of reforms of oversight institutions in response to reform ...
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This chapter analyses variation in the strength of national parliaments’ oversight institutions across countries, and in the likelihood of reforms of oversight institutions in response to reform opportunities arising from the process of European integration. It contrasts an explanation based on constitutional preferences with an alternative view stressing strategic partisan exigencies arising from minority and coalition government. The empirical results support the first account. Most importantly, where partisan configurations in national parliaments strongly favour European integration, and can thus be said to tend towards federal constitutional preferences, reforms that strengthen EU-related oversight institutions at ‘home’ are highly unlikely, whereas they become almost certain otherwise. In contrast, oversight institutions appear to be unrelated to the occurrence of minority government, and are affected by coalition conflicts only in exceptional circumstances.Less
This chapter analyses variation in the strength of national parliaments’ oversight institutions across countries, and in the likelihood of reforms of oversight institutions in response to reform opportunities arising from the process of European integration. It contrasts an explanation based on constitutional preferences with an alternative view stressing strategic partisan exigencies arising from minority and coalition government. The empirical results support the first account. Most importantly, where partisan configurations in national parliaments strongly favour European integration, and can thus be said to tend towards federal constitutional preferences, reforms that strengthen EU-related oversight institutions at ‘home’ are highly unlikely, whereas they become almost certain otherwise. In contrast, oversight institutions appear to be unrelated to the occurrence of minority government, and are affected by coalition conflicts only in exceptional circumstances.
Stephen K. Wegren
- Published in print:
- 2009
- Published Online:
- October 2013
- ISBN:
- 9780300150971
- eISBN:
- 9780300156409
- Item type:
- chapter
- Publisher:
- Yale University Press
- DOI:
- 10.12987/yale/9780300150971.003.0006
- Subject:
- Sociology, Urban and Rural Studies
This chapter focuses on the impacts of land reform on rural stratification and class development. It utilizes survey data to illustrate how the liberal aspects of reform institutions contributed to ...
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This chapter focuses on the impacts of land reform on rural stratification and class development. It utilizes survey data to illustrate how the liberal aspects of reform institutions contributed to ongoing sociological changes in the countryside.Less
This chapter focuses on the impacts of land reform on rural stratification and class development. It utilizes survey data to illustrate how the liberal aspects of reform institutions contributed to ongoing sociological changes in the countryside.
