From tragedy to comedy: Political reform in Thailand

Thailand's democracy has been profoundly influenced by mass struggle and tragic bloodshed. The political freedom now exercised by Thai citizens ia a direct result of continuous mass struggle against dictatorship, the high points of which were the 14th October 1973 and the May 1992 popular uprisings. Yet, at the same time, this freedom has also had its limits defined by the brutal crushing of Thailand's socialist movement on the 6th October 1976. This has meant that the present day parliamentary system is devoid of any element of class politics. It is this, more than anything else, which is responsible for the corruption and vote-buying in the electoral system. Recent attempts at political reform, culminating in the drafting of the 1997 Constitution, results from the work of a coalition between two separate and conflicting class factions in Thai society. On the one hand, “the People's Organisations” (N.G.O.s, campaigns for democracy, peasant and labour groups) demanded more rights and participation in decision-making. On the other hand, “the modernist liberal wing of the ruling elite” wished to see more efficient and stable government. The contradictions between these two political currents can be seen throughout the reform process and in Thai politics today. Attempts to cleanse Thai politics using a reformed Constitution, new election laws and newly established “independent bodies,” such as the Election Commission and Constitutional Court, are unlikely to succeed, since they fail to address the real basis of money politics in Thailand and rely on a narrow structuralist approach. A more realistic route to political reform would rely on the mobilisation of social groups on a class basis. Only when such groups organise to push for more social equality and justice inside and outside the confines of the present structures can there be true progress.     

Youth Political Engagement in Egypt: From Abstention to Uprising

This study analyses the dynamics of youth political engagement in Egypt in the light of ‘dual motivation’ theory, which defines political engagement in terms of both citizens' interest in changing the outcome of elections and the prevalence of social capital conducive for political engagement. The first part of the article focuses on the dynamics of political mobilisation in general, prior to the uprising of 25 January 2011. The second part examines the political attitudes and levels of political participation of young people prior to the uprising. The study found that the youth believed in democratic values but did not participate politically. This is explained not by a lack of social capital but rather by an understanding of the dynamics of authoritarian rule and corruption, leading to a general abstention from civic and political engagement. Nevertheless, with the changing international circumstances, especially the Jasmine revolution in Tunisia, youth movements in Egypt have proved capable of framing the issue of regime change effectively, leading ultimately to contention on the streets and the toppling of Mubarak. Dual motivation theory, therefore, might not be applicable in authoritarian regimes but in democratising regimes both elements of the theory appear relevant.     

从东南亚到非洲:日本对外援助的政治经济学

2006年,日本对非洲的援助开始超过亚洲,非洲成为接受日本对外援助最多的地区。这一变化是长期以来日本对外援助理念、与受援国关系建构以及与主要援助国互动关系变化的反映。本文试图构建一种援助体系的分析框架,并确定了影响对外援助的三组关系:援助国与受援国的关系、对外援助与国内政治的联系、对外援助与国际社会的联系。日本对外援助理念和政策的变化正是这三组关系在不同阶段影响程度不同的反映。通过研究发现,日本的对外援助已经远远超出了经济利益和人道主义考虑的范围,将援助作为外交和战略工具逐渐成为其对外援助的一个重要特征。日本的对外援助是援助研究中比较有代表性的案例,通过这一研究能更好地认识国际援助的发展。另外,日本对外援助过程中的一些经验教训也能为中国提供借鉴。     

From Miracle to Crisis and Back: The Political Economy of South Korean Long-Term Development

This article analyses the process of economic development and associated political transformations in South Korea since the mid-1960s. It claims that, as in the rest of East Asia, capital accumulation in South Korea has revolved around the production of specific industrial goods for world markets using the relatively cheap and highly disciplined local workforce for simplified labour processes, as appendages of the machine or in manual assembly operations. This modality of accumulation resulted from changes in the forms of production of relative surplus value on a global scale through the development of computerisation and robotisation, and the concomitant transformation in the productive attributes of the collective worker of large-scale industry. The article identifies the main characteristics of the political and economic relations through which the structural transformation of the Korean society came about throughout the period studied, as a form of realising the global unity of the process of capitalist development. This analysis not only supports the claims made about the specific characteristics of the East Asian processes of capitalist development. It also shows the intrinsic unity of seemingly diverse political-economy processes, as forms of realisation of the transformations of Korean society.     

从“自由民主”到“可控民主”:俄罗斯政治体制改革的经济学解析与启示

从"自由民主"到"可控民主"俄罗斯的民主政治改革引起了广泛关注.本文在梳理俄罗斯政治体制改革曲折历程的基础上,力图运用放宽了假定条件的"新比较经济学"分析框架,解读俄罗斯政治体制改革与经济绩效之间的因果关系.文章认为,关于俄罗斯实行"可控民主"制度原因的诸多分析中,历史传统回归论是正确的,所以"可控民主"在俄罗斯将具有持久的生命力.     

美国气候政策转向的政治经济学解释

自布什政府宣布退出<京都议定书>以来,美国的气候政策已成为人们关注的焦点.美国是否采取强制性温室气体减排更是成为其内外公共政策领域争论的重要问题之一.本文指出,美国新一届总统候选人的气候政策与布什政府有根本差别.运用政治经济学的研究方法对其进行分析后,本文发现,这种政策转向背后的深层次原因在于美国两党政治及利益集团的复杂博弈.本文在此基础上分析了这种政策动向对发达国家和发展中国家温室气体减排的可能影响.最后,本文结合中国实际提出了政策建议.     

从政治整肃到行政规训:新经济政策时期苏维埃政权的知识分子政策

十月革命既是伟大的政治革命,同时也是深刻的"思想革命"以及更为艰巨的"文化革命".新经济政策既是苏维埃政权在经济领域政策的重大调整,也是其在文化政策和意识形态上的重大变化.出于政权安全和国家安全的考虑,苏维埃政权对部分反共反苏知识分子采取了政治整肃、司法镇压乃至驱逐出境的手段,这在当时曾在相当大的程度发挥了积极作用,但同时也遗留下了历史隐患.     

Political Chronicles: July to December 1998

Commonwealth of Australia, by Rae Wear, p.254
New South Wales, by David Clune, p.259
Victoria, by Nick Economou, p.264
Queensland, John Wanna, p.271
Western Australia, David Black and Harry C. J. Phillips, p.276
South Australia, Andrew Parkin, p.284
Tasmania, Tony McCall, p.292
Northern Territory, David Carment, p.300
Australian Capital Territory, Sonia Palmieri, p.306     

Political Chronicles: January to June 1999

Commonwealth of Australia, by Rae Wear, p.544
New South Wales, by David Clune, p.551
Victoria, by Nick Economou, p.564
Queensland, John Wanna, p.572
Western Australia, David Black and Harry C. J. Phillips, p.580
South Australia, Andrew Parkin, p.589
Tasmania, Tony McCall, p.596
Northern Territory, David Carment, p.605
Australian Capital Territory, Sonia Palmieri, p.613     

Political Chronicles: January to June 2000

Commonwealth of Australia, by Rae Wear, p.558
New South Wales, by David Clune, p.564
Victoria, by Nick Economou, p.569
Queensland, John Wanna, p.575
Western Australia, David Black and Harry C. J. Phillips, p.581
South Australia, Vern Marshall, p.588
Tasmania, Tony McCall, p.595
Northern Territory, David Carment, p.602
Australian Capital Territory, Gwynneth Singleton, p.608     

Political Chronicles: July to December 1999

Commonwealth of Australia, by Rae Wear, p.214
New South Wales, by David Clune, p.221
Victoria, by Nick Economou, p.226
Queensland, John Wanna, p.5237
Western Australia, David Black and Harry C. J. Phillips, p.245
South Australia, Andrew Parkin, p.254
Tasmania, Tony McCall, p.262
Northern Territory, David Carment, p.270
Australian Capital Territory, Sonia Palmieri, p.277     

Lacanian Political Theory: A Reply to Robinson

In this response to Andrew Robinson's review of 'The politics of lack,' I argue that, although Robinson puts forward a number of interesting and succinct points about Lacanian political theory, his review rests on misunderstandings of post-structuralist political theory and misreadings of the texts under consideration. More specifically, I argue that his use of the labels 'Lacanian' and 'theorist of lack' is problematic; that his position rests on a misunderstanding of the relationship between ontology and politics in post-structuralist theory; and that it is a mistake to allege that Lacanian political theory is inherently conservative.