Dynamics Of Political Process Research Articles

Influence of Islam on the stability and adaptability of the political system of the Islamic Republic of Iran

In the realm of Iran's political landscape, we find an extraordinary, indeed unique, system that has endured for over four decades. This intricate political framework is rooted in the Shia Islamic tradition, setting it apart from conventional political models. It is marked by a remarkable duality, where the secular and religious spheres of authority coexist in a delicate equilibrium. Furthermore, it boasts a dual legitimacy, with religious institutions wielding substantial influence over the state's affairs. The primary objective of this discourse lies in the assessment of the system's efficiency and adaptability within the context of Iran's socio-political environment. A profound exploration delves into the direct impact of Islam on the various political institutions and organizations that shape the nation's destiny. Thus, Islam emerges as a pivotal factor in not only maintaining political stability but also in ensuring the resilience of the entire political system. Contemporary Iran showcases a synthesis of republican and religious governing bodies, incorporating Western democratic principles with the Shia understanding of the Muslim community's life. While all republican authorities are elected through democratic processes, they remain subject to oversight by religious institutions. Notably, the past four decades have witnessed a greater consolidation of power in the hands of the Supreme Leader and religious entities at large. Elected leaders of the republican bodies have progressively emerged from the religious elite, blurring the lines between secular and religious domains. Consequently, mass civil protests are now directed not at a specific body, be it secular or religious, but rather at authority as a whole. Central to the stability of this system is the figure of the Supreme Leader. In a truly unique fashion, the Supreme Leader simultaneously embodies divine and democratic legitimacy, standing as an unparalleled entity within the governmental structure. The dynamics of political processes in Iran unveil a nuanced reality: religion, while not directly shaping political events, seamlessly integrates into the political framework, dominating it and ensuring the efficient operation of the state machinery. Temporarily, this arrangement proves capable of upholding stability, adaptability, and dynamism within Iran's political sphere. However, an alarming trend of religious authorities encroaching upon governmental powers gradually erodes the fundamental essence of Iran's dualistic religious-political system. As a result, the benefits of such a system, particularly in terms of fostering political and socio-economic equity, are placed in jeopardy.

Brazil and the old faces of the right

Jair Bolsonaro’s leadership in Brazil fits into the general modern trend towards a more conservative outlook in various parts of the world. This article attempts to explore the reasons for this shift and to discover the keys to understanding it. The article focuses on the dynamics of political processes in Brazil leading up to Jair Bolsonaro’s rise to power and unfolding in the country today. The central question to which the authors seek answer is: what actors and trends are behind this “turn to the right”? Political attitudes are largely driven by discourses of national identity and self-determination, which are reflected in the very nature of any human. The authors identify the anchoring categories of such identities (faith, labor, family) and trace, in historical perspective, the development of political actors and social groups that shape this breakdown into identity groups and predetermine the political dialogue in the state. The article notes the significant influence of the religious component, with it being reflected even in the presence of Evangelicals among top officials. The armed forces continue to provide political support and maintain their stability as guarantors of order. The decentralization of information through social media has intensified the public outreach, with a more heated debate or even a certain polarization of public opinion, although not necessarily having any effect on domestic or foreign policy decisions. The socio-economic axes on which national decisions are aligned are associated with a feeling of renewal, but in fact many factors point to a lasting conservative orientation.

Party competition in the Republic of South Ossetia, on the eve of the VI convocation parliamentary elections

The dynamics of political processes and electoral competition in South Ossetia is explained by the high politicization of society. Without exaggeration, the majority of the population of the Republic was involved in the formation of party and political construction. The article analyzes the resource potential of key political parties, which gives us an understanding of how competitive the election campaign was in the elections to the VI convocation of the Parliament.

Latin America in the new millennium. Social panorama and dynamics of politi-cal processes (1)

Latin America in the new millennium. Social panorama and dynamics of politi-cal processes (1)

Latin America in the new millennium: social panorama and dynamics of political processes

The first part of the article examines the current social situation in Latin America. The author analyzes data on GDP per capita, poverty level and social polarization, human development index, violence level and corruption perception index. The second part summarizes the results of the last and the beginning of the current electoral cycle in different countries. On their basis, the causes, consequences and prospects of the “right shift” and political polarization in the region are revealed. The author comes to the conclusion that, at present, it is no longer possible to characterize the continent as a unity in diversity, neither in a social nor in a political context.

Inner Asian polities and their built environment

By 200 BCE the eastern steppe regions centered on Mongolia saw the development of expansive and complex political systems usually referred to as empires. The origins of these polities and the processes of consolidation can be described within the concept of a political community, reflecting the actions of competing groups in expansive social network. For Inner Asia, community was linked to issues of mobility, dispersed control hierarchies, and the economics of multi-resource pastoralism. Together, these patterns offer an alternative vision of the origin and operation of early complex polities. Archaeologically, the pastoralist way of using the built environment provides a window into the dynamics of political processes that operated within a particular polity, but also within multiple polities across long stretches of time. Based on a sample of 76 sites within 13 steppe polities several patterns emerge that highlight how distinctive political processes altered and incorporated community and place in the building of fortified settlements, palaces, military posts, and other constructions. The evidence from these places suggests that these polities operated as inclusive spatial networks that relied more on mobility than the direct interactions seen in urban centers in sedentary societies. The urban centers of the steppe tended to be the byproduct of polity formation, rather than the source.

О рецепции опыта американской двухпартийной системы в современной России: за и против. Нужна ли современной России американская модель двухпартийной системы?

Lately there has been a lot of talk in Russian political
 circles about the desirability of transition from a multiparty to twoparty system. It is believed that today its American model is one of the most effective mechanisms of representative form of government.
 Several attempts to create a two-party system have been undertaken
 in Russia for the last decade and a half, but it was not possible
 to implement this idea. After the elections in September 2013 a
 number of politicians have proposed to create a two-party system
 of government, considering that current ruling party «Yedinaya Rossiya
 (United Russia)» requires an adequate party rival. In prospects
 one cannot exclude the creation in Russia of a two-party system,
 but in present conditions it is difficult to assess the degree of its
 effectiveness. On the one hand, its functioning is conducive to a
 Federal form of government and majority system of election of senior officials, and on the other, there are centrifugal trends in the
 dynamics of political processes, strengthened after the laws adopted
 over the last decade on the liberalization of procedure of
 registration of political parties. In this regard a number of sociopolitical
 movements demand to make amendments in the electoral
 legislation, aimed at the consolidation of political forces or
 parties with similar policy.

Investigating Political Dynamics Using Fractional Integration Methods

Theory: Many questions central to political science, such as the issue of stability and change in the United States party system, revolve around the degree of persistence or memory in a political process. Fractional integration techniques, which allow researchers to investigate dynamic behavior that falls between the stationary and integrated alternatives, provide more precise ways to test hypotheses about the degree of persistence than current modeling strategies. Hypotheses: Choices about the treatment of the time series properties of the data and model specification may influence the substantive conclusions drawn about the dynamics of important political processes. Methods: Fractional integration methods are discussed and compared with common univariate diagnostic tests. A transfer function model of macropartisanship using fractional integration techniques is contrasted with traditional ARMA and ARIMA methods. Results: Fractional integration techniques offer a more flexible way to model a time series. Using fractional integration techniques, we find that macropartisanship is dominated by a strong permanent component, but also contains transitory dynamics in response to changes in economic evaluations and a measure of presidential approval. Our empirical work shows the importance of taking seriously the time series properties of data to ensure valid inferences about the dynamics of political processes.

Delayed Decentralization and Incomplete Consolidation of Democracy: The Case of Korean Local Autonomy

Abstract: This paper explores the processes and problems of decentralization in Korea since 1987, when democratic transition began. It also examines the basic institutional structures of Korean local autonomy, the dynamics of political processes at the local level, and diverse inter-governmental conflicts. In this paper, I argue that the current system of Korean local autonomy is inherently contradictory and restrictive because centralism continues to prevail over democracy especially at the local level. It is peculiar in that the chiefs of local government are popularly elected, whereas most important authorities and resources are controlled by the central government. Therefore, it is inevitable that tensions and conflicts arise between the central and local governments. In this sense, decentralization has been delayed since the democratic opening in 1987; democratic consolidation is thus incomplete in Korea. In order to avoid such a troublesome situation and to be faithful to the spirit of democracy, I suggest that a drastic decentralization along the line of federalism is necessary.