Summary
The positive role of civil society, such as the contribution to the regime change and to the consolidation of democracy is highlighted in numerous literatures. However, until today, fewer authors were concentrating on the systematic evaluation of the negative factors influencing the revitalisation of civil society. The comparison between the Czech Republic and Taiwan will offer deeper insights into the role negative factors such as path-dependency, culture and social structure are playing in affecting civic participation in modern democracies. Furthermore, the proposed project will answer the question, if and to what extent do these factors constitute barrier to the democratic life of the new and established democracies, as well as draw attention to the extent in which path dependency is shaping the democratic order.
Benefits of the project
The focus of the proposed project is the examination of negative factors affecting civic participation in new democracies. The comparison between the Czech Republic and Taiwan will offer deeper insights into the role negative factors such as path-dependency, culture and social structure are playing in affecting civic participation in modern democracies.
Furthermore, the proposed project will answer the question, if and to what extent do these factors constitute barrier to the democratic life of the new and established democracies, as well as draw attention to the extent in which path dependency is shaping the democratic order. The project focuses on the following negative aspects: social indifference, corruption, low trust, in contrast to economical aspects, demographic and structural aspects; and stresses that the factors of political and economical development as well as favourable demographic and structural setting do not necessarily guarantee the higher extent of civic participation. The comparative perspective and thematic focus of the project will contribute to deeper understanding of the way modern democracies function and the way civic participation contributes to the overall quality of democratic governance.
Why to compare Czech Republic and Taiwan?
- Both countries experienced similar historical development including several decades of authoritarian regime.
- Subsequently, both successfully underwent transition from authoritarian regime to democracy. According evaluation done by Bertelsmann Transformation Index 2010, both countries, Taiwan and Czech Republic, belong to the countries evaluated as embedded democracies.
- It both countries comes to revitalisation of civil society, they have to cope with many similar problems
- The countries have different historical and cultural development, but are facing similar pressures of globalisation.
- External influence: very little international assistance was provided to Taiwan to promote civil society or the third sector, while international aid poured into the Czech Republic to support the development and stability of civil society or the third sector.
To sum up, the research design of most similar cases, will contribute to generalization of the findings, in particular by comparing the “localized” models of civil society, and the extent the explanatory factors play role in negatively influencing civic participation.
The target of this project consists specifically of the following topics: (1) Determination of positive/negative factors influencing civic participation in new democracies; (2)The extent and limit of the path-dependency in third wave democracies; (3)The role of civic participation in determining the quality of democracy.
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