This study analyzes the comparative patterns of democratization between geographic regions and the world. It addresses the question that how some determinants of democracy have different effects among geographical reg...This study analyzes the comparative patterns of democratization between geographic regions and the world. It addresses the question that how some determinants of democracy have different effects among geographical regions. Further, by comparing the similarities and differences in the patterns of democratic diffusion across regions, this study seeks to delineate what changes scholars should adopt in our epistemological approaches and methodological tools, such as the indices of democracy, in an attempt to better understand the policy implications of disparate findings from various empirical studies. As part of a larger research project, this paper focuses its attention on two of the geographical regions Asia and the Middle East.展开更多
This paper will deal with the history of an important political change in Spain during the transition to democracy between 1976 and 1982： the transformation of a unitary and centralized state to one composed of sever...This paper will deal with the history of an important political change in Spain during the transition to democracy between 1976 and 1982： the transformation of a unitary and centralized state to one composed of several political units capable of self-government. The starting point of that process was the confirmation of regional diversity and of the existence of clearly differentiated political sensibilities in some of its territories. The researchers shall rely especially on the legacy of some of the principal actors, and explore the connection between such diversity and the political change that took place.展开更多
After four decades of military dictatorship,Togo is still facing a dilemma of whether to break with the past and take a path of democratization or make changes in the continuity.The death of the former President Gnass...After four decades of military dictatorship,Togo is still facing a dilemma of whether to break with the past and take a path of democratization or make changes in the continuity.The death of the former President Gnassingbe Eyadema in 2005 was seen by the Togolese community at home and around the world as a window of opportunity or a step toward the emergence of the political liberalization in the country.Unfortunately,with the backing of the Togolese army,Faure Gnassingbe,one of the sons of Eyadema,was enthroned as the country’s new President since 2005.The international economic sanctions on Togo in the aftermath of the death of Eyadema,due to continuing human rights abuses and violations by the authoritarian regime,have accentuated the already acute suffering and poverty of the Togolese population.However,the 2006 Global Political Agreement reached between the traditional political opposition parties and the government paved the way to the normalization of the international cooperation with Togo and hence the lifting of economic sanctions by the international community.Drawing from Solow-Swan growth model and a cross-national causality test of the development-democracy-growth hypothesis of Abbas Pourgerami,this paper investigates the impact of foreign aid on the democratization process since 2005 and argues that foreign aid played a paramount role in consolidating electoral authoritarianism instead of establishing a viable democracy in Togo.展开更多
Over two decades have passed by since Poland took the course of democratic changes. In the early 1990s the press sector was re-established as a consequence of de-monopolization and has been taken over by foreigners. T...Over two decades have passed by since Poland took the course of democratic changes. In the early 1990s the press sector was re-established as a consequence of de-monopolization and has been taken over by foreigners. The electronle media sector has been restricted for 15 years and foreign companies could only have one third of the ownership. The complexity of Polish media system reflects the long way from communism and governmental media towards free democratized market with some remnants of the previous era. It is hard to predict when it will be shaped in a brand new way and if it is generally possible.展开更多
The exhaustion of dictatorial powers and communist regimes ushered in the third wave of democratization in francophone Africa,through the emergence of democratic institutions essential to the holding of credible elect...The exhaustion of dictatorial powers and communist regimes ushered in the third wave of democratization in francophone Africa,through the emergence of democratic institutions essential to the holding of credible elections.This new democratic era,which redefines the stakes of power through peaceful political competition in the form of elections,marked the end,at least symbolically,of a time when a coup or popular insurrection seemed to be the only way to overthrow dictatorial regimes.The election thus appears as an instrument of regulation of political life.Through a constructivist perspective,this research aims to discuss the relationship between electoral governance and democratization in francophone Africa.It shows that even if democracy is taken as a tool of political civilization in francophone Africa,there is no institutional linking.It means that electoral must be the key for the regulation and the credibility of democratization and democracy.展开更多
The study examined the impact of democratization on foreign direct investment in Tunisia and has done a comparison of the pre and post revolution periods.The paper has used secondary data for the variables GDP per cap...The study examined the impact of democratization on foreign direct investment in Tunisia and has done a comparison of the pre and post revolution periods.The paper has used secondary data for the variables GDP per capita,FDI,Gross Fixed Capital Formation(GFCF),Current health expenditure(%of GDP)for the period 2001-2018.The study aims to provide arguments of the favorable political conditions for FDI,the purpose is to understand;whether,democracy and autocracy attract FDI in the Pre and Post-event of revolution in Tunisia.In addition,this investigation discusses the key elements for path dependency in democratic transitions from autocracy to democracy.The study found that there is a correlation between the adoption of a democratic regime and the FDI evolution.A democratic regime creates the right political circumstances to improve macroeconomic performance.It can stimulate growth if it is conducted in a stable political environment.展开更多
In a world growing ever more cruel and violent as nihilism becomes generalized,a world in which the disintegration of the human assumes dimensions that threaten its very cohesion,the demand for the humanization of the...In a world growing ever more cruel and violent as nihilism becomes generalized,a world in which the disintegration of the human assumes dimensions that threaten its very cohesion,the demand for the humanization of the Western individual asserts itself as an urgent historical task.Among the institutions implicated in this process,education assumes a central role,as it is within it that wonder and critical thinking are gradually eliminated,together with the demand for shared deliberation,coherent meaning,and the tragic dimension of human existence,while an education of cruelty comes to permeate it from end to end.In order to prevent the full entrenchment of evil in the social world,from which only destruction can be expected,a decisive role could be played by caring thinking that would be coordinated with corresponding action and would come to deeply characterize the educational institution.Such a form of thinking was proposed in the second half of the twentieth century and took flesh and bones within the framework of the Philosophy for Children movement.Its contemporary application within educational practice could reactivate phronesis(practical wisdom)and contribute to enabling the Western human being to re-create themselves as a democratic human being-one who desires the creation of a world of freedom,equality,and justice,and who acts accordingly to bring it about:the creation of a compassionate and prudent world,the preservation of which would be the responsibility of all.展开更多
Background:Maternal mental health literacy is a cognitive resource that may support preschoolers’emotional development,yet its influence on emotional regulation and the related mechanisms remains unclear.This study e...Background:Maternal mental health literacy is a cognitive resource that may support preschoolers’emotional development,yet its influence on emotional regulation and the related mechanisms remains unclear.This study examined whether maternal depressive mood and democratic parenting form a chain pathway linking maternal mental health literacy to preschoolers’emotional regulation ability.Methods:Mothers of 544 preschoolers in China’s Mainland completed an online questionnaire that assessed maternal mental health literacy,depressive mood,democratic parenting,and child emotional regulation.Structural path analysis was conducted with child age and gender controlled.Indirect effects were tested using 5000 bootstrap samples.Results:Maternal mental health literacy did not directly predict preschoolers’emotional regulation.Three indirect effects were significant.The pathway through depressive mood had an effect of 0.005,the pathway through democratic parenting had an effect of 0.004,and the chain pathway through depressive mood and democratic parenting had an effect of 0.002.All confidence intervals excluded 0.Conclusion:Maternal mental health literacy influences preschoolers’emotional regulation only through maternal depressive mood and democratic parenting,indicating that cognitive resources affect child emotional outcomes through emotional and behavioral processes rather than a direct pathway.展开更多
The US’s Middle Eastern democratization strategy is based on realist considerations of anti-terrorism and national security,while in contrast the Islamic-Arab world’s anti-Americanism originates from negative effect...The US’s Middle Eastern democratization strategy is based on realist considerations of anti-terrorism and national security,while in contrast the Islamic-Arab world’s anti-Americanism originates from negative effects of modernization and globalization along with perceptions of an inherent unfairness in the US’s Middle East policy.Consequently,the advancement of the Middle Eastern democratization processes within this context are bound to face obstacles and distortion.Anti-Americanism not only leads to the absence of a stable environment for democratization in the Middle East,but also constrains the US’s possible avenues to pursue its Middle Eastern democratization strategy when some Arab authoritarian governments use it as a check and balance to resist the US’s democratization pressure.展开更多
This paper explores the evolving landscape of digital resources in Greek epigraphy.A selection of digital projects is examined for its structure,accessibility,and scholarly utility,with a critical focus on completenes...This paper explores the evolving landscape of digital resources in Greek epigraphy.A selection of digital projects is examined for its structure,accessibility,and scholarly utility,with a critical focus on completeness,editorial policy,and economic sustainability.The analysis reveals tensions between openaccess ideals and the realities of commercial publishing,as well as challenges posed by short-term funding and limited project scopes.The paper also considers the integration of artificial intelligence tools,notably Ithaca,assessing their potential and current limitations.Emphasis is placed on the pedagogical impact of digital resources,showing how they empower a new generation of students and democratize access to source material.Ultimately,the study underscores the necessity of balancing innovation with scholarly rigor,advocating for ongoing critical reflection to ensure the meaningful development of digital epigraphy in both research and education.展开更多
There is a growing recognition of the critical role of security governance in advancing democratic transition in the post-conflict environment.Despite such a recognition,the security sector reform concept has overshad...There is a growing recognition of the critical role of security governance in advancing democratic transition in the post-conflict environment.Despite such a recognition,the security sector reform concept has overshadowed the importance of the overarching strategic role of security governance in transition to democracy,particularly in Africa.This paper assesses the status and challenges facing security governance and how they thwarted the efforts to furthering the democratic transition in South Sudan.The paper shows a deterioration in security,safety and security governance outcomes since the independence of South Sudan in 2011 with such a trend unlikely to be abated in the near future without strategic interventions.Some of the challenges facing security governance in South Sudan include the legacies of some historical events including the“Big Tent Policy”,absence of strategic leadership,lack of overarching policy framework,impractical and tenuous security arrangements in the 2018 peace agreement,persistent postponement of the first elections,and dysfunctional justice sector.The paper provides some strategic and operational recommendations to improve security governance and advance democratic transition in South Sudan.These recommendations include formulation of an inclusive and people-centered national security policy,rigorous judicial reform,and early political agreement on new political infrastructure if conditions for holding the first national elections are not met in 2026.展开更多
Americans have always been proud of their democratic system. Since the end of World War Ⅱ, the United States has even used its democratic system as a template to “democratize” some other countries. However, in rece...Americans have always been proud of their democratic system. Since the end of World War Ⅱ, the United States has even used its democratic system as a template to “democratize” some other countries. However, in recent years, the domestic democratic chaos in the United States has intensified, causing widespread doubts about the American political system and its democratic model.展开更多
The analysis refers to the interwar years in Europe.We distinguish four types of coalitions here:(a)Coalitions with other democratic parties,led by a predominant party and most common in multi-party democratic states....The analysis refers to the interwar years in Europe.We distinguish four types of coalitions here:(a)Coalitions with other democratic parties,led by a predominant party and most common in multi-party democratic states.(b)Bringing in ideological opponents on the parts of overarching highly credible national figures such as King George V did in Britain in 1931 in calling upon the charismatic Labour Party leader MacDonald to form a coalition with the still dominant but ailing Conservative Party.(c)The outbidding of more radical political parties by former center parties towards the right or left.One such outcome comes about when this is having a temporary effect only,until the next election is won within the family of democratic parties.Yet,when outbidding is trump the electorate easily might go for the hardest outbidding contender not to be taken over by even greater extremist parties.This process for the analysis of political terrorism and its intention to instigate fear amongst the“neutral”population explains to a large extent why considerable portions of the population are going to side with the most extreme challengers.This is for two reasons,one is pure fear to be out-mastered,the other one is rational choice just to avoid this.(d)The other outcome as to outbidding occurs when the democratic national consensus formation that is still underlying all these processes in normal times is wiped out in times of crises.Democratic national consensus is being lost vis-à-vis a new anti-democratic national consensus formation.Several other theoretical arguments and historical experiences are touched upon.展开更多
Padma was 17 when the democratic reform was introduced in Xizang in 1959.Before the reform,the region had been ruled by feudal serfdom under a theocracy for centuries.Nearly one million serfs were subjected to estate-...Padma was 17 when the democratic reform was introduced in Xizang in 1959.Before the reform,the region had been ruled by feudal serfdom under a theocracy for centuries.Nearly one million serfs were subjected to estate-holders'cruel exploitation and oppression.Padma was one of them.展开更多
"Peaceful liberation,democratic reform,the establishment of the Autonomous Region...Every step of change occurred in Xizang has opened a window for cultural inheritance,"said Jorga,China’s first doctorate o..."Peaceful liberation,democratic reform,the establishment of the Autonomous Region...Every step of change occurred in Xizang has opened a window for cultural inheritance,"said Jorga,China’s first doctorate of Tibetan music,in an interview.His story embodies the sixty-year journey of Xizang’s ethnic music-from melodies once cherished deep within the plateau to a resonant voice now heard on the world stage.展开更多
Over the 60 years since the establishment of the Xizang Autonomous Region,one indicator has been particularly remarkable:the average life expectancy of the local population has surged from 35.5 years before the democr...Over the 60 years since the establishment of the Xizang Autonomous Region,one indicator has been particularly remarkable:the average life expectancy of the local population has surged from 35.5 years before the democratic reform to 72.5 years in today,an increase of 37 years.Behind this number lies an unprecedented miracle of development on the Qinghai-Xizang Plateau,a hymn to life composed by political system reform,economic development,social security,education popularization,medical progress,and infrastructure improvement.展开更多
Lying in politics has long been seen as both routine and destructive.While some falsehoods appear trivial,others undermine democratic processes,erode trust,and inflict significant harm on society.This essay investigat...Lying in politics has long been seen as both routine and destructive.While some falsehoods appear trivial,others undermine democratic processes,erode trust,and inflict significant harm on society.This essay investigates the moral,legal,and political dimensions of punishing political lies,drawing on Kantian deontological ethics,consequentialist reasoning,and theories of democratic communication.It distinguishes minor misstatements from harmful falsehoods that distort elections,public health responses,and national security.Building on Hannah Arendt’s warning about the collapse of truth and Jürgen Habermas’s emphasis on communicative integrity,the analysis shows how unchecked deception corrodes the foundations of democratic legitimacy.Although legal punishment risks overreach and potential misuse,political and social sanctions remain essential tools of accountability.By examining cases such as misinformation in the Iraq War and the COVID-19 pandemic,the essay argues that meaningful consequences for harmful lies are indispensable to maintaining truth as a shared democratic norm.展开更多
Namibia’s democratic and peaceful transition of power since its independence in 1990 has positioned it as a model for political stability in Africa.This article explores the key factors that have contributed to Nami...Namibia’s democratic and peaceful transition of power since its independence in 1990 has positioned it as a model for political stability in Africa.This article explores the key factors that have contributed to Namibia’s transitions,focusing on the institutional,political,and cultural elements that have underpinned democratic processes.By examining historical milestones,such as the successful 1990 independence elections,the 2005,2015 and 2025 presidential transitions,and the country’s consistent adherence to constitutional principles,this research highlights the role of strong democratic institutions,political tolerance,and active participation of civil society.The article also addresses the significance of leadership and the political culture that foster trust in democratic institutions.Furthermore,it assesses the role of regional and international support in reinforcing Namibia’s democratic processes.By comparing Namibia’s experience with other African nations facing transitions of power,the article offers insights into broader implications for governance,democratic consolidation,and stability in the African context.The article analyses Namibia’s experience in light of similar transitions in Africa,identifying key factors that promote a peaceful transfer of power in the aftermath of an expected presidential demise.The findings aim to contribute to the understanding of successful democratic transitions and provide a blueprint for other nations striving for peaceful power of changes.Ultimately,this work offers valuable insights into the dynamics of democratic resilience in Namibia and highlights important lessons for other African nations confronting leadership transitions.展开更多
文摘This study analyzes the comparative patterns of democratization between geographic regions and the world. It addresses the question that how some determinants of democracy have different effects among geographical regions. Further, by comparing the similarities and differences in the patterns of democratic diffusion across regions, this study seeks to delineate what changes scholars should adopt in our epistemological approaches and methodological tools, such as the indices of democracy, in an attempt to better understand the policy implications of disparate findings from various empirical studies. As part of a larger research project, this paper focuses its attention on two of the geographical regions Asia and the Middle East.
文摘This paper will deal with the history of an important political change in Spain during the transition to democracy between 1976 and 1982： the transformation of a unitary and centralized state to one composed of several political units capable of self-government. The starting point of that process was the confirmation of regional diversity and of the existence of clearly differentiated political sensibilities in some of its territories. The researchers shall rely especially on the legacy of some of the principal actors, and explore the connection between such diversity and the political change that took place.
文摘After four decades of military dictatorship,Togo is still facing a dilemma of whether to break with the past and take a path of democratization or make changes in the continuity.The death of the former President Gnassingbe Eyadema in 2005 was seen by the Togolese community at home and around the world as a window of opportunity or a step toward the emergence of the political liberalization in the country.Unfortunately,with the backing of the Togolese army,Faure Gnassingbe,one of the sons of Eyadema,was enthroned as the country’s new President since 2005.The international economic sanctions on Togo in the aftermath of the death of Eyadema,due to continuing human rights abuses and violations by the authoritarian regime,have accentuated the already acute suffering and poverty of the Togolese population.However,the 2006 Global Political Agreement reached between the traditional political opposition parties and the government paved the way to the normalization of the international cooperation with Togo and hence the lifting of economic sanctions by the international community.Drawing from Solow-Swan growth model and a cross-national causality test of the development-democracy-growth hypothesis of Abbas Pourgerami,this paper investigates the impact of foreign aid on the democratization process since 2005 and argues that foreign aid played a paramount role in consolidating electoral authoritarianism instead of establishing a viable democracy in Togo.
文摘Over two decades have passed by since Poland took the course of democratic changes. In the early 1990s the press sector was re-established as a consequence of de-monopolization and has been taken over by foreigners. The electronle media sector has been restricted for 15 years and foreign companies could only have one third of the ownership. The complexity of Polish media system reflects the long way from communism and governmental media towards free democratized market with some remnants of the previous era. It is hard to predict when it will be shaped in a brand new way and if it is generally possible.
文摘The exhaustion of dictatorial powers and communist regimes ushered in the third wave of democratization in francophone Africa,through the emergence of democratic institutions essential to the holding of credible elections.This new democratic era,which redefines the stakes of power through peaceful political competition in the form of elections,marked the end,at least symbolically,of a time when a coup or popular insurrection seemed to be the only way to overthrow dictatorial regimes.The election thus appears as an instrument of regulation of political life.Through a constructivist perspective,this research aims to discuss the relationship between electoral governance and democratization in francophone Africa.It shows that even if democracy is taken as a tool of political civilization in francophone Africa,there is no institutional linking.It means that electoral must be the key for the regulation and the credibility of democratization and democracy.
文摘The study examined the impact of democratization on foreign direct investment in Tunisia and has done a comparison of the pre and post revolution periods.The paper has used secondary data for the variables GDP per capita,FDI,Gross Fixed Capital Formation(GFCF),Current health expenditure(%of GDP)for the period 2001-2018.The study aims to provide arguments of the favorable political conditions for FDI,the purpose is to understand;whether,democracy and autocracy attract FDI in the Pre and Post-event of revolution in Tunisia.In addition,this investigation discusses the key elements for path dependency in democratic transitions from autocracy to democracy.The study found that there is a correlation between the adoption of a democratic regime and the FDI evolution.A democratic regime creates the right political circumstances to improve macroeconomic performance.It can stimulate growth if it is conducted in a stable political environment.
文摘In a world growing ever more cruel and violent as nihilism becomes generalized,a world in which the disintegration of the human assumes dimensions that threaten its very cohesion,the demand for the humanization of the Western individual asserts itself as an urgent historical task.Among the institutions implicated in this process,education assumes a central role,as it is within it that wonder and critical thinking are gradually eliminated,together with the demand for shared deliberation,coherent meaning,and the tragic dimension of human existence,while an education of cruelty comes to permeate it from end to end.In order to prevent the full entrenchment of evil in the social world,from which only destruction can be expected,a decisive role could be played by caring thinking that would be coordinated with corresponding action and would come to deeply characterize the educational institution.Such a form of thinking was proposed in the second half of the twentieth century and took flesh and bones within the framework of the Philosophy for Children movement.Its contemporary application within educational practice could reactivate phronesis(practical wisdom)and contribute to enabling the Western human being to re-create themselves as a democratic human being-one who desires the creation of a world of freedom,equality,and justice,and who acts accordingly to bring it about:the creation of a compassionate and prudent world,the preservation of which would be the responsibility of all.
文摘Background:Maternal mental health literacy is a cognitive resource that may support preschoolers’emotional development,yet its influence on emotional regulation and the related mechanisms remains unclear.This study examined whether maternal depressive mood and democratic parenting form a chain pathway linking maternal mental health literacy to preschoolers’emotional regulation ability.Methods:Mothers of 544 preschoolers in China’s Mainland completed an online questionnaire that assessed maternal mental health literacy,depressive mood,democratic parenting,and child emotional regulation.Structural path analysis was conducted with child age and gender controlled.Indirect effects were tested using 5000 bootstrap samples.Results:Maternal mental health literacy did not directly predict preschoolers’emotional regulation.Three indirect effects were significant.The pathway through depressive mood had an effect of 0.005,the pathway through democratic parenting had an effect of 0.004,and the chain pathway through depressive mood and democratic parenting had an effect of 0.002.All confidence intervals excluded 0.Conclusion:Maternal mental health literacy influences preschoolers’emotional regulation only through maternal depressive mood and democratic parenting,indicating that cognitive resources affect child emotional outcomes through emotional and behavioral processes rather than a direct pathway.
文摘The US’s Middle Eastern democratization strategy is based on realist considerations of anti-terrorism and national security,while in contrast the Islamic-Arab world’s anti-Americanism originates from negative effects of modernization and globalization along with perceptions of an inherent unfairness in the US’s Middle East policy.Consequently,the advancement of the Middle Eastern democratization processes within this context are bound to face obstacles and distortion.Anti-Americanism not only leads to the absence of a stable environment for democratization in the Middle East,but also constrains the US’s possible avenues to pursue its Middle Eastern democratization strategy when some Arab authoritarian governments use it as a check and balance to resist the US’s democratization pressure.
文摘This paper explores the evolving landscape of digital resources in Greek epigraphy.A selection of digital projects is examined for its structure,accessibility,and scholarly utility,with a critical focus on completeness,editorial policy,and economic sustainability.The analysis reveals tensions between openaccess ideals and the realities of commercial publishing,as well as challenges posed by short-term funding and limited project scopes.The paper also considers the integration of artificial intelligence tools,notably Ithaca,assessing their potential and current limitations.Emphasis is placed on the pedagogical impact of digital resources,showing how they empower a new generation of students and democratize access to source material.Ultimately,the study underscores the necessity of balancing innovation with scholarly rigor,advocating for ongoing critical reflection to ensure the meaningful development of digital epigraphy in both research and education.
文摘There is a growing recognition of the critical role of security governance in advancing democratic transition in the post-conflict environment.Despite such a recognition,the security sector reform concept has overshadowed the importance of the overarching strategic role of security governance in transition to democracy,particularly in Africa.This paper assesses the status and challenges facing security governance and how they thwarted the efforts to furthering the democratic transition in South Sudan.The paper shows a deterioration in security,safety and security governance outcomes since the independence of South Sudan in 2011 with such a trend unlikely to be abated in the near future without strategic interventions.Some of the challenges facing security governance in South Sudan include the legacies of some historical events including the“Big Tent Policy”,absence of strategic leadership,lack of overarching policy framework,impractical and tenuous security arrangements in the 2018 peace agreement,persistent postponement of the first elections,and dysfunctional justice sector.The paper provides some strategic and operational recommendations to improve security governance and advance democratic transition in South Sudan.These recommendations include formulation of an inclusive and people-centered national security policy,rigorous judicial reform,and early political agreement on new political infrastructure if conditions for holding the first national elections are not met in 2026.
文摘Americans have always been proud of their democratic system. Since the end of World War Ⅱ, the United States has even used its democratic system as a template to “democratize” some other countries. However, in recent years, the domestic democratic chaos in the United States has intensified, causing widespread doubts about the American political system and its democratic model.
文摘The analysis refers to the interwar years in Europe.We distinguish four types of coalitions here:(a)Coalitions with other democratic parties,led by a predominant party and most common in multi-party democratic states.(b)Bringing in ideological opponents on the parts of overarching highly credible national figures such as King George V did in Britain in 1931 in calling upon the charismatic Labour Party leader MacDonald to form a coalition with the still dominant but ailing Conservative Party.(c)The outbidding of more radical political parties by former center parties towards the right or left.One such outcome comes about when this is having a temporary effect only,until the next election is won within the family of democratic parties.Yet,when outbidding is trump the electorate easily might go for the hardest outbidding contender not to be taken over by even greater extremist parties.This process for the analysis of political terrorism and its intention to instigate fear amongst the“neutral”population explains to a large extent why considerable portions of the population are going to side with the most extreme challengers.This is for two reasons,one is pure fear to be out-mastered,the other one is rational choice just to avoid this.(d)The other outcome as to outbidding occurs when the democratic national consensus formation that is still underlying all these processes in normal times is wiped out in times of crises.Democratic national consensus is being lost vis-à-vis a new anti-democratic national consensus formation.Several other theoretical arguments and historical experiences are touched upon.
文摘Padma was 17 when the democratic reform was introduced in Xizang in 1959.Before the reform,the region had been ruled by feudal serfdom under a theocracy for centuries.Nearly one million serfs were subjected to estate-holders'cruel exploitation and oppression.Padma was one of them.
文摘"Peaceful liberation,democratic reform,the establishment of the Autonomous Region...Every step of change occurred in Xizang has opened a window for cultural inheritance,"said Jorga,China’s first doctorate of Tibetan music,in an interview.His story embodies the sixty-year journey of Xizang’s ethnic music-from melodies once cherished deep within the plateau to a resonant voice now heard on the world stage.
文摘Over the 60 years since the establishment of the Xizang Autonomous Region,one indicator has been particularly remarkable:the average life expectancy of the local population has surged from 35.5 years before the democratic reform to 72.5 years in today,an increase of 37 years.Behind this number lies an unprecedented miracle of development on the Qinghai-Xizang Plateau,a hymn to life composed by political system reform,economic development,social security,education popularization,medical progress,and infrastructure improvement.
文摘Lying in politics has long been seen as both routine and destructive.While some falsehoods appear trivial,others undermine democratic processes,erode trust,and inflict significant harm on society.This essay investigates the moral,legal,and political dimensions of punishing political lies,drawing on Kantian deontological ethics,consequentialist reasoning,and theories of democratic communication.It distinguishes minor misstatements from harmful falsehoods that distort elections,public health responses,and national security.Building on Hannah Arendt’s warning about the collapse of truth and Jürgen Habermas’s emphasis on communicative integrity,the analysis shows how unchecked deception corrodes the foundations of democratic legitimacy.Although legal punishment risks overreach and potential misuse,political and social sanctions remain essential tools of accountability.By examining cases such as misinformation in the Iraq War and the COVID-19 pandemic,the essay argues that meaningful consequences for harmful lies are indispensable to maintaining truth as a shared democratic norm.
文摘Namibia’s democratic and peaceful transition of power since its independence in 1990 has positioned it as a model for political stability in Africa.This article explores the key factors that have contributed to Namibia’s transitions,focusing on the institutional,political,and cultural elements that have underpinned democratic processes.By examining historical milestones,such as the successful 1990 independence elections,the 2005,2015 and 2025 presidential transitions,and the country’s consistent adherence to constitutional principles,this research highlights the role of strong democratic institutions,political tolerance,and active participation of civil society.The article also addresses the significance of leadership and the political culture that foster trust in democratic institutions.Furthermore,it assesses the role of regional and international support in reinforcing Namibia’s democratic processes.By comparing Namibia’s experience with other African nations facing transitions of power,the article offers insights into broader implications for governance,democratic consolidation,and stability in the African context.The article analyses Namibia’s experience in light of similar transitions in Africa,identifying key factors that promote a peaceful transfer of power in the aftermath of an expected presidential demise.The findings aim to contribute to the understanding of successful democratic transitions and provide a blueprint for other nations striving for peaceful power of changes.Ultimately,this work offers valuable insights into the dynamics of democratic resilience in Namibia and highlights important lessons for other African nations confronting leadership transitions.
