Review article
The Problem of Weak Governments and Weak Societies in Eastern Europe
Marko Grdešić
; Doctoral student, Department of Political Science, University of Wisconsin, Madison, United States
Abstract
This paper argues that, for Eastern Europe, the simultaneous presence of weak governments and weak societies is a crucial obstacle which must be faced by analysts and reformers. The understanding of other normatively significant processes will be deficient without a consciousness-raising deliberation on this problem and its implications. This paper seeks to articulate the “relational” approach to state and society. In addition, the paper lays out a typology of possible patterns of relationship between state and society, dependent on whether the state is weak or strong and whether society is weak or strong. Comparative data are presented in order to provide an empirical support for the theses.
Finally, the paper outlines two reform approaches which could enable breaking the vicious circle emerging in the context of weak governments and weak societies.
Keywords
weak societies; weak states; typologies of state-society relations; social networks; social trustiness; social capital
Hrčak ID:
35417
URI
Publication date:
31.3.2009.
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