SAXONBERG, Steven. Semi-Civil Society : A Missing Link in Explaining the Transformation of Communist Dictatorships? Journal of Civil Society. Abingdon: Routledge Journals, Taylor & Francis, 2021, vol. 17, No 2, p. 199-218. ISSN 1744-8689. doi:10.1080/17448689.2021.1943855.
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Basic information
Original name Semi-Civil Society : A Missing Link in Explaining the Transformation of Communist Dictatorships?
Authors SAXONBERG, Steven (752 Sweden, guarantor, belonging to the institution).
Edition Journal of Civil Society, Abingdon, Routledge Journals, Taylor & Francis, 2021, 1744-8689.
Other information
Original language English
Type of outcome Article in a journal
Field of Study 50601 Political science
Country of publisher United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland
Confidentiality degree is not subject to a state or trade secret
WWW URL
RIV identification code RIV/00216224:14230/21:00122983
Organization unit Faculty of Social Studies
Doi http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/17448689.2021.1943855
UT WoS 000691655600001
Keywords in English Civil society; semi-civil society; communism; Vietnam; democratization; Eastern Europe
Tags rivok
Changed by Changed by: Mgr. Blanka Farkašová, učo 97333. Changed: 2. 12. 2021 13:11.
Abstract
Much has been written about civil society’s role in transforming communist regimes; however, scholars have largely ignored the officially sanctioned organizations. Yet, when political openings arise, official organizations evolve into ‘semi-civil society and play an important role in bringing down communist-led regimes. When a reformist regime begins opening up, semi-civil society turns to the regime and pressures it to reach make fartherreaching reforms, which can lead to a negotiated transition. When the regime is less open, semi-civil society turns to the opposition, which can help bring about an uprising. Semi-civil society by itself cannot bring down a regime or make it more pluralist, but it provides a missing link that has been absent from previous analyses of the collapse of communist regimes. This article applies these insights to a reformist Asian communistruled country: Vietnam (with reference to China). In such communist-ruled countries, semi-civil society is already making society more pluralist and we can it expect it to be a driving force for the further pluralization of society and possibly even its democratization. If these countries eventually democratize, semicivil society will help them follow the Hungarian path to negotiated transitions rather than the Czechoslovak path to change through an uprising.
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